Poroshenko

Ukraine abolishes military neutrality law

KIEV -- The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday adopted a law on the abolition of the country's military neutrality, and on initiating efforts to join NATO.

303 deputies voted in favor - 77 votes more than the minimum necessary for the adoption of the bill, while only eight deputies voted against, Reuters said.

Romanian President Traian Basescu said at the presidential Cotroceni Palace late on Sunday that he 'categorically' disagrees with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, who had said on Saturday Russia could shortly conquer Bucharest.

Romania's President Traian Basescu on Tuesday said the Russian Federation is a partner state of terrorist groups operational in eastern Ukraine.

Agerpres correspondent Catalina Matei reports: The European Union must continue to put pressure on Moscow concerning the situation in Ukraine, People's Movement Party (PMP) and EPP MEP Cristian Preda said in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Ukrainian military forces have waged a massive artillery fire at east Ukraine’s Donetsk regional city of Kramatorsk overnight to Wednesday.

“A strong gunfire had been waged at the city which was literally showered with shells. Powerful blasts were heard with a frequency like in automatic fire,” a representative of people’s militia told ITAR-TASS.

Ukraine's President Poroshenko announced the end of the ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists fighting in the eastern part of the country.

The EU has given Moscow a three-day ultimatum to take concrete steps towards implementing a peace plan in eastern Ukraine or risk economic sanctions.

Ukranian president wants Merkel "more involved"

KIEV -- Petro Poroshenko has called German Chancellor Angel Merkel and other world leaders to get more involved and help settle the conflict in the country.

Poroshenko referred to the clashes as "pro-Russian uprising in the east of the country."

Ceasefire in Ukraine's Donbass region was violated more than 20 times in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian President Poroshenko told German Chancellor Merkel.

He was quoted by Germany's Zeit Online as reporting the truce was "not being observed", just days after Kiev announced its troops were laying down arms used for months against pro-Russian rebels in the east and south.