Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev devoted considerable time of his speech on the completion of his third year in office on Wednesday to the country's foreign policy.

Merkel against lifting of sanctions

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she is against the lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia.

She stated that "the annexation of Crimea" and the events in Eastern Ukraine are violations of international law and shared values.

EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini has suggested renewal in relations with Russia in the spheres of global diplomacy, trade and other issues on Wednesday.

Turkey accused Russia of not keeping the promises it has given reagarding Crimean Tatars' rights and announced that it will send a delegation to monitor developments in the region.

The Russian ambassador to Turkey has called on Turkish businessmen to remain in the Russian market, despite the depreciation of the ruble, which has deeply impacted a number of Turkish investors in the country.

Crimea, which broke away from Ukraine in March, has been cut off from the county's electricity supplies, officials say.

The peninsula will now have to use energy from local generators and two thermal power plants to fulfill its needs.

Crimean authorities have said they are still awaiting official explanation as to why supplies have bee disrupted.

Ukraine temporarily cut off power supplies to Crimea on Wednesday after the Russian-annexed peninsula failed to curb consumption as required due to a power crisis, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Dec. 20 new Western sanctions against Ukraine's Crimea region were a "collective punishment" on residents who voted last March to join Russia, adding it was preparing to retaliate. 

New US legislation authorising sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis could undermine relations between Moscow and Washington for a long time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying on Dec. 19.
      

The European Union on Thursday announced additional economic sanctions against Crimea-based companies over what the bloc calls illegal annexation of the region by Russia.

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