Ukraine-US Military Exercises Begin As Russia Holds Drills in Belarus

Ukraine and the United States launched joint military exercises on Thursday, two days after Russia began joint military drills with forces in neighbouring Belarus.

Kremlin Refuses to Comment on Whether Moscow Has Plan in Case Lukashenko Fails to Hold on to Power

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to speculate on Moscow's reaction to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko potentially losing power.

Putin backs Lukashenko as Belarus leader vows closer ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the embattled Belarus leader and promised €1.26bn loan as Alexander Lukashenko vowed to strengthen ties with Moscow.

Policeman makes warning shot in the air during protests in Minsk - interior ministry

Belarus’ interior ministry has confirmed media reports that a policeman made a warning shot in the air during a protest action in Minsk on Sunday.

Alexander Lukashenko Warns Belarus ‘Will Die as a State’ If It Agrees to Hold New Elections

On Saturday, the Belarusian president ordered an air assault brigade to be transferred from Vitebsk region in the country's northeast to Grodno region near Belarus's borders with Poland and Lithuania after expressing concerns about increasing military activity in those two NATO nations.

Russian president visits West-2017 military drills

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Russia's Leningrad region and observed Zapad-2017 (West-2017) military exercises Monday.

Russian war games ignite concern among nearby NATO nations

Russia launched its week-long military exercises in Belarus on Thursday, with nearly 13,000 troops massing near the borders of several NATO countries.

Russia, NATO military chiefs agree to continue contacts

Chairman of NATO Military Committee Petr Pavel and Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Valery Gerasimov agreed to continue contacts during the meeting in Baku on Thursday, according to the local Azerbaijan News Agency.

La Moldavie refuse de participer à des exercices de l'OTAN en Ukraine

Le président moldave prorusse Igor Dodon a annoncé mardi avoir refusé la participation, souhaitée par son gouvernement, des soldats de son pays à des exercices de l'OTAN prévus à partir de jeudi en Ukraine.

US to beef up military presence in Lithuania as Russia and Belarus team up for drills

The United States will step up its military presence in Lithuania when Russia and Belarus will kick off joint efforts for the West-2017 military exercises, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite stated on national radio on Monday.

Russian Defense Ministry: Intl organizations and states shed fake tears over Aleppo did not provide aid

Russian Defense Ministry called the international organizations and states to provide humanitarian assistance to the residents of Aleppo city.

Parliamentary elections in Belarus are valid — elections commission

The elections to the lower house of the Belarussian National Assembly are valid, the country's Central Elections Commission said on Sunday.

UN expresses outrage at the killing of renowned journalist in Ukraine

The United Nations Secretariat has condemned the killing of renowned journalist Pavel Sheremet in Ukraine and urges a thorough probe, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq told Tass on Wednesday.

Belarus, Russia react appropriately to NATO's reinforcement on their border (Lukashenko)

Belarus and Russia have reacted appropriately to the reinforcement of NATO forces near the two countries' borders, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday.

L'Ukraine marque le 30e anniversaire de la catastrophe de Tchernobyl

L'Ukraine marque mardi le 30e anniversaire de la catastrophe de Tchernobyl, pire accident nucléaire de l'Histoire, ayant fait, selon certaines estimations, des milliers de morts et contaminé jusqu'aux trois quarts de l'Europe.

Council of EU decides to suspend sanctions against Belarus for 4 months

The Council of the European Union made a decision to suspend sanctions against Belarus for the period of four months, France’s Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir said on Monday.

Belarus President Lukashenko Wins Fifth Term in Landslide

Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko has won a fifth term by a landslide in Sunday's elections, which were boycotted by most of the opposition.

Putin praises Armenia’s accession to post-Soviet trade bloc

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he believed Armenia was ready for joining the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and expected a positive macroeconomic effect from its accession to the post-Soviet trade bloc.
“We believe Armenia is ready for work in the EEU on an equal footing with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan,” Putin said at a meeting of the Higher Eurasian Council at the level of the heads of state in Minsk. 

Armenia to join EEU soon. The EEU currently groups Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan announced that Armenia will sign a deal to join the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) on Oct. 10 in Minsk, capital of Belarus.

"There is not much time till Oct. 10. I am sure that Armenia will sign the contract, and we will enter the Eurasian united economic space," he told a press conference before the executive meeting of the Republican Party of Armenia on Thursday.

Key talks begin amid hopes for Ukraine truce (NATO would not "collectively" supply arms to Ukraine)

A busy day in terms of diplomacy for the Ukraine crisis is under way as NATO leaders meet on the second day of a summit in Wales and ceasefire talks are scheduled to take place in the Belarusian capital.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the main pro-Russian rebel leader said they would both order ceasefires on Friday, provided that an agreement is reached on a new peace plan in Minsk to end the five-month war in Ukraine's east.
The annoucements came after a week in which the pro-Moscow separatists scored major victories with what NATO says is the open support of thousands of Russian troops and armour.