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Ukraine hopes for association agreement with EU, cooperation with Customs Union

“The Association Agreement is to be signed at the summit in November,” Kokara said

DAVOS, January 26 (Itar-Tass) – Ukraine hopes for signing an Association Agreement with the European Union and for cooperation with the Customs Union, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kokara told the media on Friday.

“The Association Agreement is to be signed at the summit in November,” Kokara said. At the same time he remarked EU officials “said clearly that Ukraine’s membership of the Customs Union contradicts free trade with the EU.”

“We share this opinion. But institutionally Ukraine may join any organization as an observer, as a country that maintains statuses in trading and economic relations,” Kokara said. “Lastly, we can consider Ukraine’s partial participation in the institutional agreements of the Customs Union.”

Earlier, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said in Davos that Ukraine hoped for signing the Association Agreement with the EU at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November. As Yanukovich said earlier, “every condition is in place” for concluding such an agreement between Ukraine and the European Union by the end of 2013.

He said Ukraine would also be developing close partnership with the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia and other regional organizations.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

Afghan Foreign Ministry condemns terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall outside Moscow

The ministry’s Spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said, that considers it a blatant violation of all human standards

Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Two people killed in borderline Belgorod Region in Ukrainian drone attack — governor

According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, a private residence in the village of Poroz caught fire when the unmanned aerial vehicles dropped two explosive devices

Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov, a celebrated Russian film director, declared the festival open, praising the bravery of foreign cultural figures who are visiting Russia at this time

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

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US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

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American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

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EU ministers to discuss use of Russian assets for Ukraine on April 22 — EU official

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

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Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

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French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

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Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

Military commanders of Ukrainian army brigades "lack both personnel and the required amount of equipment" while Russian troops enjoy a considerable superiority, especially in artillery, Sergey Krivonos noted

Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Baku, Yerevan to approve draft agreement on delimitation commissions by July 1

The statement said that "the parties agreed that the delimitation process will be based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration"

Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

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North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

A power test of a super-large warhead designed for "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile was held as well

Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

Participation in ‘Columbine’ movement may result in life sentence — Prosecutor General

Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

Ukrainian drones continue to fly over Zaporozhye NPP — press service

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Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

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Water level of Ishim River in Russia’s Tyumen Region surpasses dangerous mark

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

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Grossi ignores ‘elephant in the room’ in Zaporozhye nuke plant situation — Russian envoy

Dmitry Polyansky noted that the IAEA chief is being very cautious about the issue of attacks on the nuclear facility

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

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Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

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About 30 events in 26 countries to be held as part of Russian Film Festival — minister

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No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that the situation on the ground had changed significantly

Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

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Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

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Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia, became full-fledged members of BRICS from January 1, 2024

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

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French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

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Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

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Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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