Ukraine can’t win in this crisis – but Putin can be made to pay for his victory September 3, 2014 IT IS a standard rule of thumb in global risk analysis that the side in a conflict calling for a ceasefire is the side that is losing. Until two weeks ago, President Putin of Russia – seeing his Kremlin-sponsored separatists on the run in the face of a rejuvenated Ukrainian army – was all for [...]
Kremlin quashes “permanent” ceasefire claim as blasts heard in Ukraine September 3, 2014 In this morning's newsletter we noted our scepticism at the use of the word “permanent” when it came to the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Sadly, within two hours of the announcement from Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, it turns out that phrase has indeed met with some stumbling blocks. Although Poroshenko's Tweet has not [...]
FTSE at its highest in 14 years as Ukraine agrees “permanent ceasefire” with Russia September 3, 2014 Markets reacted with relief this morning after Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko tweeted that the country had agreed a "permanent ceasefire" with Russia. The FTSE 100 rose 1 per cent to 6,897 – its highest in 14 years – while the euro jumped 0.12 per cent, to 1.31 dollars. Investors also piled back into Russian equities, [...]
Ukraine will need a much bigger bailout to stabilise economy, IMF says September 2, 2014 As the crisis in the east of Ukraine continues to harm the nation's economy, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that a much bigger international bailout will be needed than was originally planned. In a review of the already agreed $16.7bn standby facility, the fund described the figure as being built on “totally [...]
Putin has won in Ukraine – but the West can still salvage the long game September 1, 2014 There’s only one way to make a fortune, and that’s to down the fellow who’s up against you." W Somerset Maugham, on poker ONE OF the many wonderful traditions at St Andrews University is that, if a student did well, they did not have to sit final exams until their last year. As a result, [...]
John McCain calls for US to arm Ukraine against “Russian invasion” September 1, 2014 Senior US senators are calling for America to provide arms and equipment to the Ukrainian government to aid in its fight against "a Russian invasion". Republican senator and former presidential candidate John McCain told CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday: "Give them the weapons they need, give them the wherewithal they need, give them the ability [...]
EU warns Russia to withdraw from Ukraine as Putin steps up rhetoric August 31, 2014 EUROPEAN leaders, backed by America, have warned Russia’s President Putin that he has a week to withdraw from Ukraine and calm the crisis between the two countries, or face tough new economic sanctions. The warning comes as Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his country is at breaking point. “We are very close to the point [...]
Putin wants to negotiate “statehood” of southeast Ukraine August 31, 2014 As Europe gets ready to place more sanctions on Russia, Vladimir Putin has called for the “statehood” of southeast Ukraine to be negotiated. In a TV interview, the Russian President said: “We must immediately begin substantive, meaningful negotiations, not on technical questions but on questions of the political structure of society and of the [...]
Putin compares Kiev to the Nazis, Ukraine seeks Nato membership August 30, 2014 Ukraine has pleaded for full membership in Nato, signalling a desire for increased Western military protection from Russian aggression. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk told government yesterday that his cabinet would "bring before parliament a law to scrap the non-aligned status of the Ukrainian state and establish a course towards membership of Nato." Nato membership would [...]
Rouble falls again as Nato accuses Russia of a “blatant violation” of Ukraine’s sovereignty August 30, 2014 The rouble continued to drop today as tensions in Ukraine continued. The currency fell 0.98 per cent against the euro and as much as 0.4 per cent against the dollar, a record intraday low, as Moscow's equities index, the Micex, fell 1.62 per cent. The losses came as Nato accused Russia of a "blatant violation" [...]