BRUSSELS: The EU formally approved on Tuesday a landmark cooperation accord with Ukraine meant to counter a hostile Russia ahead of a high-profile summit in Kiev. The EU states said they had decided to formally conclude ratification of the Association Agreement with Ukraine, effective September 1. The European Union and Ukraine agreed the accord in late 2014 when EU-Moscow relations were at their lowest point for decades. Moscow in turn annexed Crimea and backed pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine where more than 10,000 people have since died in fighting with government forces. Mogherini has said repeatedly that the EU wants to improve relations but Moscow must first help implement the Minsk ceasefire accords to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Source: Manila Times July 11, 2017 11:03 UTC