May 02 Pro-Russia forces shoot down 2 Ukrainian helicopters, 38 killed in Odessa building fire as fighting erupts in Ukraine By Joshua Barajas In an effort to regain control of the eastern city of Slovyansk, the Ukrainian government launched its first major offensive against pro-Russian separatists Friday, the Associated Press reports. The fighting has claimed at least three lives so far. Continue reading
May 02 Obama, Merkel threaten tougher sanctions on Russia By Josh Lederman, Associated Press Projecting unity on Ukraine, President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel threatened tougher and broader new sanctions against Russia on Friday if Moscow doesn't quickly change its disruptive behavior. "We will not have a choice but to move forward… Continue reading
May 02 Gwen’s Take: Beware the clickbait (or why there’s always more to the story) By Gwen Ifill Washington does not lack for smugness. It takes only one committee vote, or one fancy dinner to send many of us into paroxysms of self-congratulation. But we are not alone in this. A brief survey of the week’s headlines should… Continue reading
May 02 Obama, Merkel look for united front on Ukraine By Domenico Montanaro, Terence Burlij, Simone Pathe, Rachel Wellford As more fighting has broken out in Eastern Ukraine, President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be looking for a show of unity on the situation when they meet Friday at the White House. But if you want to… Continue reading
May 01 Russia now an adversary, NATO official says By Robert Burns, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- NATO's second-ranking official says Moscow's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its destabilizing actions in eastern Ukraine have compelled the U.S.-led alliance to start treating Russia as more of an enemy than a partner. Continue reading
Apr 30 Watch Is Obama’s foreign policy doctrine working? By PBS News Hour Little progress on a broad Pacific trade agreement and challenging dynamics in Ukraine and the Mideast peace process have prompted new criticism for President Obama’s foreign policy. Gwen Ifill gets reaction from Nicholas Burns of Harvard University, Trudy Rubin of… Continue watching
Apr 30 Ukraine approved for $17 billion in aid By News Desk and Deb Riechmann, Associated Press The International Monetary Fund board has approved a two-year, $17 billion loan package for Ukraine, hinging on country-wide economic reforms. The changes included raising taxes, freezing the minimum wage and raising energy prices -- all steps that could hit households… Continue reading
Apr 29 Pro-Russian demonstrators storm building in Luhansk, Ukraine By News Desk Video by the Associated Press Around 150 pro-Russian demonstrators broke into and seized the regional administration building Tuesday in Luhansk, Ukraine. Continue reading
Apr 28 Watch U.S. sanctions Putin’s friends and advisors to force ‘clear choice’ on Ukraine By PBS News Hour The Obama administration has announced additional sanctions on Russian officials and key companies with close ties to President Putin to persuade Moscow to diffuse tensions in Ukraine. Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken joins Gwen Ifill to discuss the strategy… Continue watching
Apr 28 Congress returns to full plate, if it chooses to do anything with it By Terence Burlij, Domenico Montanaro, Rachel Wellford, Simone Pathe Lawmakers return to Washington Monday after a two-week recess with a long list of issues demanding their attention, but with a limited appetite for addressing any major pieces of legislation in advance of November’s midterm elections. Continue reading