Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton says Russian President Vladimir Putin bears responsibility for the crash of the Malaysian passenger plane. “I think if there were any doubt it should be gone by now, that Vladimir Putin, certainly indirectly through his support of the insurgents in eastern Ukraine and the supply of advanced weapons and, frankly, the presence of Russian Special Forces... 

The production and sales of some of McDonald’s products is likely to be banned In Russia. Legal sanctions may affect cheeseburgers and royal cheeseburgers, filet-o-fish, chicken burgers, ice cream with berry fillings and milkshakes. Such requirements were submitted to the Tverskoy Court of Moscow from the Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights (Rospotrebnadzor) in the Novgorod region, RIA... 

European Union (EU) foreign ministers have agreed on imposing tougher sanctions against Russian entities and individuals nearly one week after the downing of a Malaysian Airlines plane in Ukraine. On Wednesday, the ministers agreed to draft a new list of Russian entities and individuals by July 24 to be added to the 63 names already targeted by sanctions. The 28-member bloc says that the new sanctions... 

US President Barack Obama has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of backing Ukraine’s pro-Russian fighters, threatening Moscow with more sanctions. “If Russia continues to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and to back these separatists,” President Obama said on Monday, then the country will “further isolate itself from the international community and the costs for Russia’s behavior will... 

The UK will tighten sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not help in investigating a Malaysian airliner crash in Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. On July 17, Malaysian Airline flight MH17, which was travelling to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, crashed, killing all 298 people on board. There is speculation that the Boeing 777 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile while flying... 

The NATO administration warned Russia of new sanctions, should the Russian administration does not contribute to the cessation of the conflict in Ukraine. Foreign ministers of NATO countries gathered in Brussels to elaborate a joint approach to Russia. US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf stated that the USA had prepared additional sanctions against Russia. The sanctions can be introduced very... 

​Russia and China are set to sign a long-awaited 30-year gas contract during a two-day meeting, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Shanghai on May 20-21. Gazprom, Russia’s largest natural gas producer, and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) are set to sign a gas deal that will send 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year eastward to China’s burgeoning economy, starting... 

Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen The US Treasury Department says a top official is heading to Europe this week to discuss a possible new round of sanctions against Russia. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, David S. Cohen will visit Germany, France and Britain to examine more severe sanctions against Russia in talks with European partners,... 

US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called on Russia to de-escalate immediately the crisis in Ukraine or face the consequences of devastating new sanctions. “If in fact we see the disruptions and the destabilization continuing so severely that it impedes elections on May 25, we will not have a choice but to move forward with additional… severe sanctions,”... 

Russia says it reserves the right to take appropriate action if the West continues its anti-Moscow moves with regard to the crisis in Ukraine. Speaking at a news conference in the Chilean capital Santiago on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We want to give our fellow governments the opportunity to calm down.” Lavrov, however, noted that if the West continues its actions,... 

New round of Western sanction against Russia will target seven individuals and 17 companies. They are meant to affect Moscow’s stance over the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. The individuals listed by the US Department of Treasury on Monday include Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, chair of the parliamentary commission on Foreign Affairs, Aleksey Pushkov, chief of presidential office, Vyacheslav... 

US Secretary of State John Kerry US Secretary of State John Kerry has issued a stern and final warning to Russia to help de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine or face more sanctions. “The window to change course is closing. The world will make sure the costs for Russia will only grow” if Russia refuses to change course, Kerry said late Thursday. Kerry’s warning came after Ukraine used lethal force... 

Ukraine’s Acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia Ukraine acting foreign minister says Kiev is ready to fight Russian troops if Moscow deploys forces to the country. “The Ukrainian people and Ukrainian army are ready to do this. Ukraine will confront Russia. We will defend our land. We will defend our territory,” the Associated Press quoted Andriy Deshchytsia as saying. The Ukrainian official... 

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday delivered ​​a report to the deputies of the State Duma on the work of the government in 2013. The report from the head of the cabinet lasted for one hour, ten minutes and was interrupted by applause eight times. In his speech, the Prime Minister spoke about the achievements and challenges in the activities of the government, announced the plans... 

Russian Communists are planning a mass campaign promoting a voluntary boycott of all American goods as proof that Russians cannot be intimidated by sanctions. The head of the Communist Party’s legal department, Vladimir Solovyov said that his comrades intend to set an example in the campaign, at least in its first stages. He also promised that the politicians will find suitable replacements for...