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EU continues consultations with Russia on South Stream - Russian representative to EU

“Experts agreed to exchange electronic data till the end of the month", source says

© EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC

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Crimea will not influence EC-Russia talks on South Stream - EC spokeswoman

BRUSSELS, March 21. /ITAR-TASS/. The European Union continues consultations with Russia on South Stream and the Eastern Partnership, Russian permanent representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said on Friday.

“The EU cancelled several events, including the upcoming Russia-EU summit. Its decision violates the legally binding agreements on partnership and cooperation of 1994,” Chizhov told Russian journalists.

At the same time, the Russian official said consultations on the Eastern Partnership continued. “Experts agreed to exchange electronic data till the end of the month."

“Discussions on South Stream also continue,” Chizhov said.

“On March 24, we’ll have important consultations on integration processes in Europe. Our colleagues, who will arrive from Moscow, will compare European and Eurasian integration,” he said.

Chizhov said president of the Russian International Affairs Council Igor Ivanov had given a speech at the invitation of the European External Action Service (EEAS) on March 19. “Two-hour discussions, including on the situation in Ukraine, were rather useful for both parties,” he said.

Middle East conflict

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Russia’s Oreshnik has no analogues worldwide — Putin

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Western air defense systems unlikely to intercept Russian missiles — France’s Le Monde

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Biden’s actions on Ukraine meant to 'muck things up' for Trump — Lavrov

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Enemy has no countermeasures for Russia’s Oreshnik missile — Putin

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"A large-scale investment program for expanding production capacities at defense sector organizations is being implemented", Vasily Tonkoshkurov said

Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

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Oreshnik missile to go into serial production, Putin says

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Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

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Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

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Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

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Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

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US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

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West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

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Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

According to Donald Tusk, "no one knows how the conflict will end"

Russia entitled to use weapons against military sites of states attacking it — Duma

"Russia has repeatedly stated that such actions will receive a response – and it will be a stronger one," Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stressed

West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

The former Austrian foreign minister stressed that she "counted on rational Western decision-makers, but irrationality is unfortunately on the rise among them"

Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

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North Korean leader warns of growing risk of nuclear war — KCNA

Kim Jong Un added that negotiations with the US only confirmed the North Korean view that Washington’s hostile policy remains unchanged

Good relations between Moscow, Riyadh helping oil market stability — Medvedev

"Our friends are living in the Arab world," the politician noted

Bundeswehr prepares plan for Operation Germany in case of war with Russia — newspaper

According to it, the 1,000-page "Operation Germany" plan lists all infrastructure facilities that deserve special protection, and also contains a procedure for defense or "measures to deter Russia on NATO’s eastern flank"

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

According to the president, the missile is code-named Oreshnik, which can roughly be translated as hazel bush

US decision to allow missile strikes deep into Russia fuels global escalation — Slovak PM

Robert Fico also rejected the belief that this escalation would not impact "those living far away, in Spain, England, or America"

Diplomat mocks US Senator for talking about invading Netherlands

Maria Zakharova quoted the US Senator, who called the ICC a "Kangaroo court" and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan a "deranged fanatic"

Russian ambassador says UK prime minister doesn’t understand situation in Ukraine

Turning to the Labour Party’s domestic policies, Andrey Kelin said Starmer’s plans to spur the economy were "not met with applause by the population

Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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US expects Russia-North Korea cooperation to be formidable challenge in coming years

Mira Rapp-Hooper mentioned the US administration’s version, according to which North Korea has allegedly sent troops to engage in active combat in Ukraine

Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, November 21st

Lukashenko grants asylum to Schmidt persecuted on political grounds by Poland

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Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

Foreign Policy pointed out that Western officials should stop insisting in public speeches on the need to achieve a strategic defeat for Russia

US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

Defense ministers of five European nations to meet in Berlin on November 25

The French interior ministry said earlier that an emergency meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council will be held on November 26 following Russia using its new missile against a Ukrainian defense sector facility

China urges restraint after Russia, Ukraine's exchange of attacks — foreign ministry

Lin Jian also reaffirmed Beijing's position on the Ukrainian issue