Latest Updates!! -US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are due to meet in Paris this afternoon to discuss the ongoing tensions in Ukraine. 12:52 AM -Russia sold a record $11.3bn in foreign currency to support the ruble on March 3, the so-called Black Monday when the ruble fell to historic lows due to concerns about Ukraine, central bank data shows. 12:48 AM -Russias incursion into Ukraine is setting off alarm bells in Tokyo, where officials worry that any push by Japans Western allies to impose economic penalties will undermine its drive to improve relations with Moscow. 12:45 AM -The long-term ramifications of Russias remaining in Crimea are unclear, particularly as the rest of Ukraine works through its next steps following Mr Yanukovychs removal. But Heather Conley, a Europe analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it would be a dangerous proposition for the US and Europe to allow Mr Putin to view gains in Crimea as an opportunity to launch incursions elsewhere in the region. 12:38 AM -Barry Pavel, who worked on the White House National Security Council under both Mr Obama and President George W Bush, said reasserting control of Crimea may be even more important to Russia than the Georgian territories. -Russian nationalists consider this to be practically Russian territory, said Mr Pavel, who now serves as vice president of the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank. The chances of Russian forces ever leaving where they are are very low. 12:36 AM -The situation in Crimea has drawn comparisons to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two breakaway territories of the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Russia has continued to maintain a military presence in both, violating a cease-fire that ended its 2008 military conflict with Georgia and ignoring repeated condemnations from the US and Europe. 12:35 AM -The US is not calling for a full Russian withdrawal from Crimea, but does want Moscows forces to return to their normal operating position at their base, where they have an agreement with Ukraine to keep up to 11,000 troops. 12:34 AM -Crimeas port city of Sevastopol is home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet and its thousands of naval personnel. Viktor Yanukovych, the ousted Ukrainian president, extended the fleets lease until 2042, but Russia fears that Ukraines interim pro-Western government could scrap it. 12:33 AM -Mr Putins fast and defiant dismissal of Mr Obamas threats sparked a new round of criticism from the White Houses Republican opponents. Republican Senator John McCain accused Mr Obama of having a feckless foreign policy in which nobody believes in Americas strength anymore. 12:31 AM -White House officials have condemned Russias military manoeuvres in Crimea as a violation of international law and insist they would oppose any long-term occupation of the region. 12:30 AM
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 08:08:30 +0000
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