NATO Defence Ministers together with their Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoygu, discussed ways to widen their practical cooperation and exchanged views on pressing events on the international agenda, including Syria, during a NATO-Russia Council (NRC) meeting on Wednesday (23 October 2013). “We are doing more together an ever before and counter-terrorism is a centre-piece of our cooperation,” said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. READ MORE

The European Union urged Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych to take steps to free jailed political rival Yulia Tymoshenko if he wants to seal a free-trade and political deal with the EU, setting a deadline of Nov. 18 for "a definitive move." READ MORE

Hydrocarbon Revolution in the USA Changes the Role of the Key Players in the Market. READ MORE

The forum was attended by 340 parliamentarians from 28 countries. READ MORE

Trade turnover between Poland and Uzbekistan in January-July this year reached $98.5 million, which is by 18% more than last year, reported Mezon.uz referring to first counselor of Polish Embassy in Tashkent Slavomir Strzalkowski. READ MORE

 Sweden has offered to send staff officers to exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013. With the approval by NATO Allies, the Nordic nation becomes the third partner country to join Steadfast Jazz, alongside Finland and Ukraine. READ MORE

As far as Germany is concerned, the drama of the euro crisis is over. The subject was barely discussed in the country’s recent election campaign. Chancellor Angela Merkel did what was necessary to ensure the euro’s survival, and she did so at the least possible cost to Germany – a feat that earned her the support of pro-European Germans as well as those who trust her to protect German interests. Not surprisingly, she won re-election resoundingly. READ MORE

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara has visited Kazakhstan and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov went to Belarus earlier this month to assure Russia’s Customs Union partners that Ukraine’s plans to sign an association and free trade agreement with the European Union in November will do them no harm. Judging by statements made during and after the visits, attitudes to Ukraine’s plans in Astana and Minsk are more pragmatic than in Moscow, which keeps threatening Kyiv with sanctions for preferring the EU to its own regional bloc (see EDM, October 10).  READ MORE

Norway's military budget in the coming year once again increase. The Ministry of Defense announced the ambitious project of the kingdom. READ MORE

In the context of Ukraine’s political and economic options, Beijing can be the ideal supplemental partner for Kyiv. READ MORE