Kievan Rus'

Ukraine's energy minister has said the country intends to stop buying Russian natural gas for the time being as of April 1 when Kiev's current supply deal with Moscow expires.

A new pro-Russian party called Zmiana, which means "change", emerged on the political scene in Poland.

The party, which has a strong anti-US orientation, supports Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies and sees Russia as natural ally for both Poland and the EU, EUobserver reports.

According to the latest survey of Alpha Research, the majority of Bulgarians - 61 % oppose the imposition of new sanctions against Russia, while 39 % support their extension.

The survey, which was released on Monday, examines the social attitudes of Bulgarians on the country's foreign policy, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the national security.

Britain has donated non-lethal military supplies to Ukraine in order to help Kiev fight off pro-Russian separatists.

This equipment, valued at 850,000 UK pounds, will be donated to Ukraine in the coming weeks, after Kiev’s request.

This package contains, amongst others, night vision goggles, laptops, helmets and GPS locators.

Former President Ion Iliescu characterized, on Thursday, Russia's action in the eastern Ukraine as being "a bit adventurous", declaring that he was surprised by Moscow's action, but showed that Russians have a "certain historic debt" as the current territory of Ukraine hosted the first Russian state and this, probably, sparks "certain sensibilities".

The Bulgarian Armed Forces are due to take part in the Rapid Trident and Saber Guardian military exercises due in July in Ukraine, the Defense Ministry has said.

Neither of the drills is officially related to the Ukraine crisis, since they are held on an annual basis.

Ukraine's central bank on Wednesday banned all foreign exchange purchases by companies through banks for the rest of the week in a bid to stem a sharp fall in the national currency, the hryvnia.

Kyiv accused pro-Russian rebels of opening fire with rockets and artillery at villages in southeastern Ukraine on Monday, all but burying a week-old European-brokered ceasefire deal.
   
The Ukrainian military said it could not pull weapons from the front as required under the tenuous truce, as long as its troops were still under attack.
   

BELGRADE - Belarus sees Serbia as its main partner and a good way to increase its market presence in the Balkans and Europe, Belarusian Minister of Trade Valentin Sergeyevich Chekanov said Thursday, while Serbian Economy Minister Zeljko Sertic pointed to the significant potential for cooperation between the two countries.

PM receives Belarusian trade minister

BELGRADE -- The Serbia-Belarus relations are good but can be improved, PM Aleksandar Vucic said as he met with Belarusian Trade Minister Valentin Chekanov on Wednesday.