Here's where different countries stand on the crisis. The Rockefeller Foundation launched a new strategy Thursday to help increase the supply of good, nourishing food and reimagine our food systems to make them more resilient for the future, per Raj Shah, the foundations president. Relations were positive until 2011, but have been on pause since then. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in India on the heels of Western pressure on India to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine. [177], Russia formerly had an embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa and Simferopol. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service. Earlier this month it stopped allowing Russians to participate in its controversial passport sale program, which had made the island state a chronic money-laundering and organized crime risk within the EU. 16 Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. LONG READ: Clevelands deliberate act of kindness. Hungary relies on Russian contractors to expand and maintain its nuclear plants, and both purchases and manufactures Russia's Covid Sputnik vaccine. The Czechs had already promised Kyiv 4,000 mortars worth $1.6m which have yet to be delivered. Hungary joined the organization in 1999, while . Please make sure that the email address you typed in is valid. President Milo Zeman is a pro-Kremlin outlier in Czech politics. Despite a cease fire in 2015, the two sides have not. . Cyprus also has two honorary consulates (in. The status of Moldova (and the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria), a former territory of Romania in the 19th century, has been an ongoing source of tension. Russia-Ukraine War: U.S., EU Pressure African Countries to Pick a Side Situation Report A weekly digest of national security, defense, and cybersecurity news from Foreign Policy reporters Jack. ECONOMY RUSSIA FACES PUTIN ERA GROWTH WIPEOUT: Russia economic growth has been so anemic and narrowly based that the Institute of International Finance estimates that 15 years of economic growth will be wiped out in the 2022/23 war and sanction-induced Russian recession. Dil ireann (26th Dil) Wednesday, 8 Apr 1992 Houses of the Oireachtas", Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Ireland, " ", Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Ukraine, " ", "Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign affairs: list of bilateral treaties with Ukraine (in Lithuanian only)", " ", " ", http://www.gov.me/eng/mininos/vijesti.php?akcija=vijesti&id=14061, "NewsLibrary.com - newspaper archive, clipping service - newspapers and other news sources", "Royal Netherlands Embassy Kyiv - Address, route description and opening hours", Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Ukraine (in Dutch only), " ", Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: information about relations with Ukraine, Local Border Traffic Agreement With Poland Takes Effect, " ", " ", "Ukraine cuts diplomatic ties with Russia after invasion", "Ukraine breaks off diplomatic ties with Russia", "Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Regarding the Severance of Diplomatic Relations with the Russian Federation", "Rapporti bilaterali della Repubblica di San Marino", " ", " ", Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: list of Slovenian representations in Ukraine, "Embassy of Spain in Kyiv (in Spanish and Ukrainian)", "Embajada de Ucrania en el Reino de Espaa y Principado de Andorra (por concurrencia)", "Political relations between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Sweden", " ( )", " ", British Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the relations with Ukraine, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Ukraine, "Political relations between Ukraine and New Zealand - Embassy of Ukraine in Australia", "Australia - Embassies of Ukraine - MFA of Ukraine", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Foreign_relations_of_Ukraine&oldid=1138456397. Ukraine has an embassy in Beijing and a consulate-general in Shanghai. The neutral and secretive country has begun a belated crackdown on oligarchs, after unexpectedly joining EU sanctions against Russia. Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Both countries maintain pro-western political orientation and aspire to join NATO and the European Union. Lisbon changed its citizenship law which had enabled Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich to obtain a Portuguese passport despite having no connection to the country. China called for peace between the two countries and said the U.S. and its allies were worsening the conflict. POLITICO is also tracking who is sending weapons to Ukraine. Turkey remains Russia's top tourist destination, but the country's Bayraktar-2 armed drones have been sent to aid Ukraine. Armenia has an embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Odesa and Yalta. Tunisia recognized Ukraine's independence on December 25, 1991. Several former government ministers and ambassadors took board posts with Russian companies (they've since resigned), and numerous Russian oligarchs are beneficial owners of Luxembourg-registered companies. Political leadership class is stridently critical of Moscow. Since 2015, the New Zealand Embassy in Warsaw (Poland) has been accredited to act as New Zealand's embassy to Ukraine. Ukraine has shown support for military dictatorships in Guinea by supplying the militia of, Ukraine is represented in Guinea-Bissau by its embassy in. Poland, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The majority of Russian raw materials are traded in Switzerland, meaning that a massive chunk of Russian state revenue is linked to financial transactions conducted by the Swiss. If Germany and Italy play along, the sanctions alliance erodes greatly. [3][4] "European integration" has remained part of Ukraine's national security strategy and co-operation with NATO was not excluded. If little can or should leave Russia, let it be food-related. NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia's brutal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine - which is an independent, peaceful and democratic country, and a close NATO partner. Food donations to Ukraine and other food insecure countries are rolling in. In less happy news, Mulhall and his family contracted Covid this week after Ireland's prime ministerMichel Martin quarantined in the ambassadors residence while Covid positive. Portugal pitches itself as the natural place for U.S. LNG to arrive in Europe, and is not dependent on Russian energy. The government is actively working to break this reliance via new LNG terminals and a pipeline connection to Poland. Those warnings went unheeded until late 2021, when Russia began amassing serious military forces around Ukraine. A staunch supporter of fossil fuels, Warsaw's only red line is a coal embargo. New Delhi: India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-strategy, the annual Raisina Dialogue saw participation from global leaders of nearly a hundred countries on Friday with the Ukraine war, international response to the conflict, India's G20 Presidency and the changing face of war in modern times being the key topics on the agenda. The European Union's Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Ukraine went into force on March 1, 1998. Watch President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tell NATO allies Ukraine is more than good enough to join their ranks. [184] Later, Putin stated that the government of the Russian Federation respects the sovereignty of Ukraine, while several Russian parliamentarians as well some governors were urging the liquidation of Ukraine. Turkey has maintained close energy relations with Russia, while also attempting to reduce dependence. Russia's immediate supporters are members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), including Armenia, Krygyzstan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Leonid Derkach (chairman of the SBU, which is Ukraine's security service, successor to the KGB) was fired due to Western pressure after he organized the sale of radar systems to Iraq while such sales were embargoed.[10]. President Emmanuel Macron positioned himself as a peace broker in the lead-up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and before that attempted to open the door to Russia rejoining the G-8. The Czech Republic has an embassy in Kyiv. Most of all they need peace, and if not peace, air cover. THE END OF NEUTRALITY: POLITICOs Suzanne Lynch and Jacopo Barigazzi write that even in Ireland, one of the European countries furthest from the fighting, policymakers are starting to revisit a strategic position rooted in the countrys post-colonial history and repeatedly reaffirmed in the century since. A recent European Commission report noted that Ireland depends heavily on neighbors and the U.S. to defend it. Poland has already filled its storage reserves in preparation for cutting Russian gas out of its network when its Gazprom contract expires later in 2022. The Maltese embassy in Moscow (Russia) is also accredited as a non-resident embassy to Ukraine. . Ukraine and Pakistan have been cooperating with each other in educational sector as well as cultural exchanges. French companies employ more than 100,000 Russians. Fifty-four countries met today to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself and the principles that guide international conduct. Ukraine has formal relations with many countries. War in Ukraine, which is compounding a series of food crises catalyzed by Covid and climate change, will likely lead to starvation later in 2022, a series of economists, trade experts, food system analysts and philanthropists told Global Insider. UKRAINE UPDATES: Get the latest news on the Russia-Ukraine crisis delivered to your inbox. But China has also refused to condemn the invasion . Ukraine has formal relations with many nations and in recent decades has been establishing diplomatic relations with an expanding circle of nations. Now housing nearly 3 million Ukrainian refugees, Poland is also the main shipment point for weapons transfers into Ukraine. The Pentagon said the weapons included anti-armour, small arms, body armour and various munitions in support of Ukraines front-line defenders. Starting in November 2013, the decision by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to back out of signing an integration agreement with the European Union started a period of civil unrest between Ukrainians who favored integration with the European Union and those who wanted closer ties with Russia, culminating in the Revolution of Dignity. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. The motion calling for the withdrawal of all occupying forces was backed by 141 countries during an emergency session in New York on Wednesday.. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. Malta has no Russian energy contracts. POLITICO's Andy Blatchford dug into the inner workings of a pair of foreign-fighter groups: The Georgian Legion and the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. Romania which shares a border with Ukraine is offering to treat wounded people from the crisis zones in its 11 military hospitals as well as sending fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets and other military material worth $3.3m. [2] This materialized on June 3, 2010 when the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada) excluded, with 226 votes, the goal of "integration into Euro-Atlantic security and NATO membership" from the country's national security strategy giving the country a non-aligned status. [213], This article is about the foreign relations of Ukraine. Permanent members are the United Kingdom, China, France . The U.K. has been a strong and early proponent of sanctions, and has delivered significant amounts of weapons into Ukraine. Stockholm is also breaking its historic neutral stance to send 5,000 anti-tank weapons toUkraine, with Denmark contributing a further 2,700. Interests", "Inside the Ring: China's Ukrainian jet engines", "Embassy of Ukraine in the Islamic Republic of Iran", " ", " ", " ", "North Korea's Missile Success Is Linked to Ukrainian Plant, Investigators Say", "Ukraine severs ties with North Korea after pro-Russia separatists recognition", " - - Python", "Embassy of The Republic of Singapore - Moscow", "Ukraine, Singapore begin FTA negotiations", "Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea-Europe", " ", "Political dialogue between Ukraine and Syria - Embassy of Ukraine in Syrian Arab Republic", "MinistryofForeignAffairs,RepublicofChina(Taiwan)", "Royal Thai Consulate ", Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Ukraine, " ", "Ambasade, konzulati i stalne misije BiH", Bulgarian embassy in Kyiv (in Bulgarian only), Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs: list of bilateral treaties with Ukraine, "French embassy in Kyiv (in French and Ukrainian only)", French Foreign Ministry about relations with Ukraine, " - ", " ", German Foreign Ministry about relations with Ukraine, "Consulate of Ukraine in Nyiregyhaza (Hungary)", "English > Finland > The Icelandic Foreign Services", " I ( )", "Written Answers. Transparency International says $213 billion in Russian assets may be held in Swiss banks. "As of today, numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver. Ukraine has also begun providing China with jet engines for military aircraft. Ukraine had an embassy in Damascus before it was closed in 2016. For the first time in its history, the EU is financing the purchase and delivery of arms after leaders agree to transport weapons worth 450 million euros ($502m) to Kyiv. Ukraine will also struggle to harvest its winter wheat, a particularly harsh contrast with its 2021 record crop. Leaving this to market forces in major producers such as the U.S. and Brazil may mean the world ends up with too many clothes and not enough food. More than half of Ukraines children have been displaced since the start of the war thats 4.3 million children in one month, per UNICEF. Power Players are the biggest countries, the G-7 members U.S., Japan, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Canada plus Turkey. According to Ukraines health ministry, the conflict has killed more than 350 civilians since the beginning of Russias invasion. Belgium directly imports little Russian gas but is heavily integrated into Europe's northwest regional market with other countries such as Germany. Netherlands is also heavily dependent on natural gas, with around 12 percent of its gas coming from Russia. [213], Ukraine is represented in Vanuatu by its embassy in Canberra, Australia. It is our duty to do our best to support Ukraine in defending itself against Putins invading army, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Norway has been one of the few European companies to meet NATO's 2 percent defense spending target and has sent considerable weapons to Ukraine. The main reason for this goes back to events which occurred during the second world war. Europe's most pro-Kremlin government, which attempts to balance demands from Moscow and Brussels. Russia has also allegedly supported separatist forces in the War in Donbas. Even as some of its European allies ramp up military support for Ukraine, Germany has taken a more cautious approach. Plans for Ukrainian membership to NATO were shelved by Ukraine following the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election in which Viktor Yanukovych was elected President. The most reliant of Europe's large countries on energy imports, Italy gets around 40 percent of its gas from Russia. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin allegedly declared at a NATO-Russia summit in 2008 that if Ukraine would join NATO his country can contend to annex the Ukrainian East and Crimea , Now in 2023 Russia has already annexed the Crimean peninsula and Four regions of Ukraine, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia .[11]. It may take months, if not years, to implement major shifts in fuel sources despite offers of new liquid natural gas shipments from the U.S. and elsewhere. Ireland recognized the Ukrainian state in 1991. Pakistan recognized Ukraine's independence in 1991. Without these three counties, nothing would work here. Greece, which has a large diaspora community in Ukraine 10 of whom have been killed is sending defence equipment as well as humanitarian aid. Portugal is giving Ukraine night-vision goggles, bulletproof vests, helmets, grenades, ammunition and automatic G3 rifles. New Zealand recognized Ukraine as an independent state on 27 February 1992. advertising. The two countries share 891km of border. World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley told POLITICO to expect famine, destabilization and mass migration if European nations dont lend financial support to less wealthy nations in northern Africa and the Middle East. By Katrin Bennhold. Friday, March 04, 2022 at 12:46 PM by Eunice Njoki Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine has received global condemnation, but this does not mean that he does not have allies. It has participated in the quadripartite talks on the conflict in Moldova and promoted a peaceful resolution to conflict in the post-Soviet state of Georgia. . Austria has long-standing diplomatic, energy and finance links to Moscow, including being the first democratic country to do a natural gas deal (1968) and OMV being a Nord Stream II pipeline partner. The Netherlands will not consider an oil embargo because of its heavy dependence on Russian oil, which makes up around two-thirds of its total trade with Moscow. Thanks to editor John Yearwood, producer Hannah Farrow, Joseph Gedeon and all the POLITICO reporters working across eight countries who are reporting on the Russian war in Ukraine. They declare independence from Ukraine as the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk. Which countries are sending military aid to Ukraine? France was strongly opposed to President Zelensky's proposal on the expansion of the Normandy format with the participation of the USA and Great Britain, the traditional allies of Ukraine. Ukraine considers Euro-Atlantic integration its primary foreign policy objective, but in practice balances its relationship with Europe and the United States with strong ties to Russia. Ukraine is bordered by 7 European Nations: by Belarus in the north; by Hungary, Slovakia and Poland in the west; by Moldova and Romania in the southwest; and by Russia in the east and northeast. The two countries have close commercial ties. NATO and Allies continue to provide Ukraine with unprecedented levels of support, helping to uphold its fundamental right to self-defence. When it rains, it floods when it comes to sanctions against Russians. The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. However, the cultural and political unity between two nations existed long ago. Happening Saturday: Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel, the West Bank, Morocco and Algeria for meetings through Wednesday. Dead people cant wear clothes. Ukraine has consistently supported peaceful, negotiated settlements to disputes. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has again condemned Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, calling for Moscow's immediate withdrawal and an end to the fighting. For years, in particular since Russias occupation of Crimea in 2014, officials from countries that lived under Soviet occupation warned that Moscow was acting recklessly and needed to be called out and confronted. In January, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK had taken the decision to supply Ukraine with light anti-armour defensive weapon systems. Canada opened its embassy in Kyiv in April 1992, and the, Ukraine opened a consulate-general in Toronto in 1993 and announced plans to open another in. RIP, MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: Former Secretary of State Albright, who died at 84 on Wednesday, was remembered around the world as a trailblazer who rose from a refugee childhood to the worlds power circles as a fierce advocate for peace and freedom. It is the second-largest European country, covering approximately 600,000 square kilometres (230,000 sq mi), and has a population of around 40 million people. Who's all-in on Ukraine, and who's more talk than action? Since 2006, Ukraine has been an observer in the. Western relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on April 25, 2019. In 19992001, Ukraine served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Welcome to the matrix, where not all allies are created equal. Canada led the charge to remove Russia from the SWIFT payments system. [11] Some analysts believe that the current Russian leadership is determined to prevent a Russian equivalent of the Ukrainian Orange Revolution in Russia. is a constituent country of the United Kingdom along with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. [3], Ukraine's relations with Russia are complicated by energy dependence and by payment arrears. Italy has been a laggard in supporting EU sanctions against Russia, but recently turned against Moscow, seizing some oligarch-owned yachts and villas. It shares its border with Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Russia. But even small island states like Malta and Cyprus have surprising ties to Russia. The UAE is chairing the UN Security Council, or UNSC, during March, after having joined as one of its 10 non-permanent members in January. Iceland is represented in Ukraine through its embassy in Helsinki (Finland). Expelled 18 Russian diplomats for spying in 2021. Ukraine was a founding member of GUAM (Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova). A year . Putin's allies: The six countries likely to support Russia in WW3 - including China RUSSIA has escalated fears that a new global war could ensue after it invaded Ukraine more than two months ago. In 2000 Ukraine was still one of the nations most disliked by Poles. Ukraine recognized the Republic of Montenegro on June 15, 2006. Neutral since 1955 and required to stay out of NATO as the price for maintaining independence from the Soviet bloc. NATO also condemns Russia's illegal attempt to annex four regions of Ukraine - Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia - in September 2022, which is the largest attempted annexation of European territory by force since the Second World War. Kenya is accredited to Ukraine from its embassy in Moscow, Russia. Slovakia is pushing for Ukraine to quickly become an EU member, but has sent mixed messages of Russia sanctions. But official Washington is now deeply vested in the success of the new Kiev government formed after the 2014 elections; senior U.S. officials have called their Ukrainian counterparts "courageous" and "inspiring.". And those principles will be upheld. - . A newsletter from POLITICO that unpacks essential global news, trends and decisions. NATO has nine global partners in total which it engages with on. Ottawa is sending lethal military weaponry to Ukraine and loaning Kyiv half a billion Canadian dollars ($394m) to help it defend itself. Antwerp's diamond industry, which dominates the world market, is heavily dependent on Russia for rough diamond supplies (and oligarch wives). [176] Poland's acceptance of the Schengen Agreement created problems with the Ukrainian border traffic. In February 2022, Russia embarked on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with the aim of toppling the Western-aligned government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is the most active member of the Partnership for Peace (PfP). POLITICOs Joseph Gedeon tracked all the impounded superyachts belonging to wealthy Russians. To add further context to each countrys relative contribution weve grouped them into Frontline, Fringe and Power Player categories. Ukraine's demands for security guarantees blindside western allies Kyiv wants permanent members of UN security council including Russia to act as guarantors along with Germany and Turkey . That risk, and a need to split European allies, explain why Putin announced that if you want Russian oil and gas you now need to pay in rubles. The CIA World Factbook states that "Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea".[12]. Ukraine has made clear its desire to join NATO, even rewriting the constitution to enshrine its commitment. The foreign relations of Ukraine are guided by a number of key priorities outlined in the foreign policy of Ukraine. The authors discovered cases of Beijing coercing U.S.-based think tanks to alter the language on their websites and argue why excluding Taiwan from U.N. processes has no legal basis. In NATO, the same can be said of the United States, and to a lesser extent the U.K. and France. While a NATO member, Turkey has not joined in Western sanctions against Russia which allows, for example, the superyachts of oligarchs to berth in Turkish ports. It is situated both in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the earth. New members of the. Global Insider mapped 35 countries on their sanctions, words, weapons and willingness to end their economic dependencies on Russia. In 2007, the two countries signed a double taxation agreement. Ukraine is represented in Paraguay through its embassy in, There is an important community of people of Ukrainian origins in Paraguay (between 10,000 and 15,000 people), most of whom arrived at the beginning of the 20th century. For more than a quarter century, the United States has supported Ukraine based on shared values and interests. In a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden directed that $350m allocated through the Foreign Assistance Act be designated for Ukraines defence. A State Department spokesperson said anti-aircraft systems were also included in the material. BIDEN'S WEAKNESS WITH RUSSIA. Frontline countries are those shouldering the Ukrainian refugee burden and which face heightened risk of Russian aggression which explains why NATO has announced it will double the number of battlegroups along its eastern flank. Rich countries need to incentivize farmers to grow food rather than other crops such as cotton. The 12 founding member countries of NATO are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. NATO also has a list of aspiring members, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, and Ukraine, which may one day become full NATO members. United Nations has also condemned the steps taken by Russia while European Union said that in today's emergency meeting EU leaders will discuss the sanctions to be imposed on Russia. Singapore is represented in Ukraine through its embassy in Moscow (Russia). NATO estimates roughly one in 10 Russian troops are dead on Ukraine battlefields, and theyve lost the same proportion of vehicles, per an alliance official. After Russia ordered full scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, world leaders across the globe were swift in condemning the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Economist Adam Posen explained: Rubles for oil is simply a gambit by Putin ahead of EUCO (European Council summit) with Biden to split the alliance. (19902016 . Many countries have already announced sanctions on Moscow following Russia's order of troops into the rebel 'republics' of . Slovenia supports stronger sanctions, and Prime Minister Janez Jana traveled to Kyiv during the war to show solidarity with Ukrainians. By signing up you agree to allow POLITICO to collect your user information and use it to better recommend content to you, send you email newsletters or updates from POLITICO, and share insights based on aggregated user information. The U.K. added 65 people to its sanctions list, including Polina Kovaleva, the step-daughter of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the subject of media attention for her lavish lifestyle in London which appeared to be unsupported by legitimate income, and The Wagner Group, a mercenary organization tasked with assassinating President Zelenskyy. Serbia would love to join both the EU and NATO, but after years of cozying up to Moscow, may find itself excluded from Europes top tables for a while yet. State enterprise InvestUkraine was created[13] under the State Agency for Investment and National Projects (National Projects)[14] to serve as a One Stop Shop for investors and to deliver investment consulting services. It's by far the biggest logistics hub and it has sheltered hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. Ukraine also has made a substantial contribution to UN peacekeeping operations since 1992. Russia has also allegedly supported separatist forces in the War in Donbas. Saudi Arabia recognized Ukraine's independence in 1992. The two sides have signed a series of agreements on the final division and disposition of the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet that helped to reduce tensions. The U.S. has banned Russian oil and gas. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin allegedly declared at a NATORussia summit in 2008 that if Ukraine would join NATO his country could contend to annex the Ukrainian East and Crimea. Officials in Vilnius are vocal and insistent in their public criticisms of Moscow, despite remaining among the EU countries most dependent on Russian oil and gas. To put Germanys donation in perspective: Thats roughly how much Russian oil and gas purchases the country buys each week. This latest tranche of U.S. sanctions targets 328 members of the State Duma Russias chief legislative body, bringing its sanctions list to more than 600 individuals.