Ukrainian crisis: America will hold Russia accountable while searching for common ground – Pence

US President Donald Trump believes common ground can be found with Russia, but Moscow must still be held accountable for the Ukrainian crisis, Vice President Mike Pence has said. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, He said, “The United States will continue to hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground, which as you know, President Trump believes can be found.”

In his first major foreign policy address for the Trump administration, Pence issued a hardline statement, saying the US would demand that Moscow “honors the Minsk agreement, beginning by deescalating the violence in eastern Ukraine.” The US and its European allies have been claiming that Moscow is backing the rebel movement in eastern Ukraine against the post-coup Kiev government.

US, EU prepare broad sanctionson Russia in case Ukraine elections are disrupted

United States President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared on Friday that US and EU will be ready to impose broad sectoral sanctions on Russia if presidential elections in Ukraine are disrupted.

Should Ukrainian presidential elections scheduled for May 25 be impeded by Russia, Pres. Obama said, then sectoral sanctions against Moscow would be”inevitable.”

Why should Russia tolerate NATO at its borders - Vladimir Golstein

Russia is not a superpower. Its population is shrinking, and so is its military, political, and economic might. Yes, Russians have their oil money to organise Olympics or buy fancy flats in London, but Russia itself is a far cry from the big nasty "bear" that was invading Afghanistan, when I emigrated from this evil colossus in search of a political freedom so lacking at home. Yet, this cherished western freedom is being threatened by a stifling hypocrisy.