UKRAINE

Ukraine has little leverage in Minsk without modern weapons to defend itself against Russian-backed separatists, analysts say.

“We are for peace ... [but] our country needs to be defended and we will do that to the end," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

The U.S. House of Representatives introduced new legislation to help Ukraine counter pro-Moscow rebels.

The ceasefire, if confirmed, would come just before Russian, German, French and Ukrainian leaders meet in Minsk.

President Petro Poroshenko said the rockets were part of a new system that had not yet been exported outside of Russia.

Greece has said that it intends to renegotiate the terms of its bailout agreement, but Germany has so far refused to agree.

Gaining control of the transport hub is expected to give rebels access to important routes within Luhansk and Donetsk.

The defense secretary nominee responded to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee.

It's a critical week for diplomacy on the Ukraine crisis, but Angela Merkel herself doubts it will do much good.

Turkey and Russia asked Twitter to take down content critical of their governments.

A spokesman for the rebels said Ukrainian forces were pushed out of Logvinovo, but Ukrainian forces dispute that.

Merkel is expected to work on narrowing differences between Europe and the U.S. over the issue of providing arms to Ukrainian troops.

This will mark the first observation flight to be conducted by Russia this year under the Treaty on Open Skies.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there will be no future extensions for Iran nuclear talks.

The comments by U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove were his strongest public intervention yet in the debate going on in Washington.

The diplomatic move, also involving France and Germany, is the result of increased Western concern over the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

NATO accuses Moscow of increased military activities in the Baltic region amid weakening relations between Russia and the West.

The U.S. has hinted at sending weapons to Ukraine, but the German government is not on board.

Ukraine had the fourth-most powerful military in 1991. So why is it struggling for survival just 24 years later?

Lavrov and Kerry have been point men for their respective countries' interests in Ukraine over the past year.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are scheduled to meet Putin in Moscow on Friday.