Politics of Ukraine

First Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says Serbia found a recent UNGA resolution on Crimea unacceptable because of the way it qualified Russia.

As Dacic told reporters in Belgrade on Thursday, the Kiev-proposed resolution on "violations of human rights in Crimea" speaks about Russia "in the worst possible way."

Millions of dollars’ worth of U.S.-supplied drones that Kiev had hoped would help in its war against Russian-backed separatists have proven ineffective against jamming and hacking, Ukrainian officials say.

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling for international monitoring of the situation regarding human rights in Crimea, Sputnik has reported.

The draft resolution was submitted by Ukraine, and was supported by 70 countries. 26 were against, while 77 abstained.

Ukraine said five of its troops were killed Dec. 18 by pro-Russian insurgents in the bloodiest clash in the war-scarred ex-Soviet republic in months.

Kyiv military spokesman Leonid Matyukhin told AFP that another six soldiers were wounded in the battle for control of the strategic city of Debaltseve.

A meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany intended to shore up a shaky peace process in eastern Ukraine ended Nov. 29 without any visible progress.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after the talks that "there were no breakthroughs," adding that sharp disagreements on security and other issues remain, The Associated Press reported.

16 European countries, including Bulgaria, will seek a new agreement with Russia on arms control, reported Reuters.

"European security is in danger," stated German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "We need to have more conversations with Russia, not less,  no matter how complicated our relations are at the moment."

The European Union has promised Ukraine a visa-free regime by December and a ratification of the Agreement for association and free-trade.

At the summit in Brussels, President Poroshenko assured that he is continuing the reforms for combating corruption and guaranteed the secure transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory to Europe.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has arrived in Brussels for the EU summit. Poroshenko's visit is aimed mainly at liberalising the visa regime for Ukrainians and the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Nov. 16 to withdraw Russia from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which rules on such grave charges as genocide and crimes against humanity.

Russia in 2000 signed the Rome treaty that established the Hague-based court but never ratified it.

Supporters of Ukraine's national football team have burned a Serbian flag during a friendly match played between the two countries.

Sputnik is reporting this citing local media.