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By Sarah Marsh and Madeline Chambers BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany on Tuesday halted the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project, designed to double the flow of Russian gas direct to Germany, after Russia formally recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. Europe’s most divisive energy project, worth $11 billion, was finished in September, …

Germany freezes Nord Stream 2 gas project as Ukraine crisis deepens Read More »

(Corrects typo in par 3) By Michelle Nichols and Humeyra Pamuk UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The deployment of what Russia called a peacekeeping operation in eastern Ukraine is “nonsense” and Moscow’s recognition of breakaway regions as independent is part of its pretext for war, the United States told the U.N. Security Council on Monday. The consequences …

U.S. slams Russian ‘peacekeepers’ in Ukraine as ‘nonsense’ Read More »

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden could set up a call or meeting any time but there were no concrete plans yet for a summit. Tensions were growing over Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, but diplomatic contacts were active. He …

Putin and Biden could meet or talk but no firm plans yet – Kremlin Read More »

By Sabine Siebold and Ingrid Melander BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union must start imposing some sanctions on Russia now to show it is serious about wanting to prevent a war in Ukraine, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said as he arrived in Brussels to meet the bloc’s foreign ministers. Western countries fear a buildup of …

Slap sanctions on Russia now, Ukraine tells the EU Read More »

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Belarus said on Monday that the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory would depend to a large extent on NATO pulling back its forces from near Belarus and Russia, opening up the possibility they could remain there indefinitely. Russia deployed what NATO called its biggest military force to Belarus since the …

Russian troop withdrawal depends in part on NATO pullback, Belarus says Read More »

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday accused Moscow of playing an “irresponsible” game with the civilian population of eastern Ukraine, putting their lives at risk. “I urgently call on the Russian government, on the Russian president: Don’t play with human lives,” she told reporters on arrival for a meeting with her …

Stop playing with human lives in eastern Ukraine, Berlin tells Moscow Read More »

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand will lift COVID-19 vaccine mandates and social distancing measures after the Omicron peak has passed, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, as protesters occupying the parliament grounds again clashed with police. Inspired by truckers’ demonstrations in Canada, thousands of protesters have blocked streets near the parliament in the capital …

New Zealand’s Ardern signals mandates will ease after Omicron peaks Read More »

By Kate Abnett BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union foreign ministers will call on the bloc’s top diplomat to scale up efforts on climate change this year to help clinch tougher emissions-cutting goals from individual countries, a draft document due to be adopted on Monday said. Nearly 200 countries agreed at last year’s COP26 climate summit …

EU countries to ask top diplomat to increase climate action Read More »

JACQUEVILLE, Ivory Coast (Reuters) – The United States’ yearly counter-terrorism training program for African forces began on Sunday in Ivory Coast at a time of upheaval in which Islamist fighters control large areas, coups are on the rise and French forces are winding down. The training program, known as Flintlock, will bring together more than …

U.S. begins counter-terrorism training in Africa amid upheaval Read More »