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U.S. And NATO Accelerate Military Build-Up In Black Sea Region

By Rick Rozoff

In the post-Cold War era and especially since 2001 the Pentagon has been steadily shifting emphasis, and moving troops and equipment, from bases in Germany and Italy to Eastern Europe in its drive to the east and the south. READ MORE

EU has no objections to Gazprom-Naftogaz takeover

By Andrew Rettman

The European Commission has no objections to Russia's proposed takeover of Ukraine's national gas company, despite warnings that it would harm EU interests. READ MORE

Ukrainian parliament fights over ratification of Russian deal

Ukrainian lawmakers got rough, threw eggs and smoke bombs, but still voted in favor of deal with Russia ensuring cheaper natural gas for Ukraine in exchange for the lease of a key naval base to Moscow. READ MORE

Russia Grants Ukraine Gas Discount In Return For Fleet Lease Extension

Ukraine has agreed to a lengthy extension for the Russian Black Sea Fleet's base in Crimea in exchange for a major discount on Kyiv's imports of Russian gas. READ MORE

Ukraine's Election Clouds EU's Energy Future

By Andrea Bonzanni

There is little doubt that as president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych will decisively shift the country's geopolitical posture, with Kiev once again moving closer to Moscow after its pro-Western and pro-EU turn of 2005. The potential consequences on the EU's energy future are serious, as 80 percent of Russian natural gas exports to Europe transit through Ukrainian territory. The country has been in repeated price disputes with the Russian state-owned gas monopoly, Gazprom, resulting in interruptions of deliveries to the Ukrainian market in January 2006 and 2009, with supplies to Europe affected both times. READ MORE

Yanukovych visits Moscow, pledges better relations

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has visited Moscow for his second foreign visit since being sworn in. Long considered a pro-Kremlin politician, he said he wanted to open "a new page" in relations with Moscow. READ MORE

First Foreign Trip Takes Ukraine's New President To Brussels

By Dagmar Breitenbach

European integration is high on the agenda of Ukraine's foreign policy, the country's new president said in Brussels. Yanukovych surprised observers by picking Brussels and not Moscow for his first international trip. READ MORE

Yanukovych Faces Uphill Struggle for Control of Ukraine, Despite Victory in Presidential Election

As expected, opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych has won the February 7 presidential election runoff. Unlike in 2004, when Yanukovych lost a controversial poll to Viktor Yushchenko and his supporters were accused of large-scale election fraud, this time international observers said the election was free and fair. However, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has not recognized her defeat. If Yanukovych fails to form a new coalition in parliament on the spur of the moment in order to oust Tymoshenko from the government, Ukraine will face several months of uncertainty and probably early parliamentary polls. READ MORE

Will Moscow-Kiyv Ties Improve After Ukrainian Election?

By Andre de Nesnera

Ukrainians go to the polls Sunday to elect a new president. Analysts say who wins will determine the course of relations between Ukraine and Russia. READ MORE

Yushchenko and Yanukovych Forge an Electoral Alliance

By Taras Kuzio

On December 25, 2009 UNIAN published a secret agreement “On Political Reconciliation and the Development of Ukraine” leaked by Yaroslav Kozachok, the deputy head of the presidential secretariat’s department on domestic affairs and regional development. Kozachok resigned in protest at the secret agreement between President Viktor Yushchenko and Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych to appoint the former as Prime Minister in the event of Yanukovych’s election. READ MORE