Ukraine Crisis to take over EU and NATO meetings

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European Union
European Union

The latest escalation in the Ukraine crisis was set to take centre stage Friday at separate meetings of the European Union and NATO.

European Union
European Union

EU foreign ministers were to gather at an informal meeting in Milan, hosted by Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

In Brussels, NATO ambassadors were holding talks with the head of Ukraine’s mission at the alliance, Ihor Dolhov.

NATO said Thursday that it believes that well more than 1,000 regular Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine, adding heft to similar accusations by the Ukrainian government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time addressed the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, referring to them as the militia of “Novorossia” (New Russia). He called upon the separatist militia groups to open a humanitarian corridor for surrounded Ukrainian soldiers “to avoid needless loss of life.”

The choice of the word “Novorossia,” a historic region stretching from eastern Ukraine to the southern port city of Odessa, raised eyebrows. Its use is widely interpreted as reflecting Russia’s territorial ambitions in the neighbouring country.

The statement was published early Friday by Putin’s office.

He also used it to praise the insurgents’ offensive as a “major success” against the Ukrainian military operation, which he said represents a grave danger to local civilians and reiterated his demand that Kiev halts its campaign and starts talks with the separatists.

Nearly 2,600 people have died in the fighting in eastern Ukraine since mid-April, according to new UN data released Friday.

The figure, as of Wednesday, was 2,593 dead, reported the international agency from its Geneva offices.
29, GNA –

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