Internal Security News

• Two European officials said that Ukraine will extend its cease-fire. The government in Kyiv will prolong the week-long truce, which it says has been repeatedly flouted by pro-Russian separatists, by 72 hours from an original plan to end it at 10 p.m. on June 27.
   
• (ITAR-TASS) Representatives of the Kyiv authorities and Ukraine’s southeast regions started a second round of consultations in Donetsk.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) Five Ukrainian law enforcers were killed in attacks on the roadblocks of Ukrainian security forces in the area of ​​the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) Declaring a real ceasefire between conflict parties will be the main issue to be discussed during consultations in Donetsk of the contact group on settlement in eastern Ukraine, leader of the Ukrainian Choice public movement Viktor Medvedchuk said.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council confirmed the captivity of the commander of a military unit seized by militants in Donetsk.
   
• (ITAR-TASS) Militants belonging to the unrecognized “Donetsk People’s Republic” gained control over a base of the Interior troops located in downtown Donetsk.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov promised a tough reaction from the authorities if members of illegal armed groups do not accept the conditions of a peace plan put forward by President Petro Poroshenko and do not lay down their arms.
   

Diplomacy News

• Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a European Union accord rejected by his predecessor that sent the country spiraling into crisis. Along with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova also signed partnership agreements with the European Union, in a move strongly opposed by Russia.
   
• (RIA Novosti) Russia’s official news agency, Novosti, on 26 June used the term “Novorossiya” to describe the territory of the newly declared “Union of Novorossiya” in contrast to the territory of Ukraine. Novorossiya, self-declared with a new constitution, is to be a union of the two rebel provinces of Ukraine: Luhansk and Donetsk.
   
• (ITAR-TASS) The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Moscow is seriously preparing for a tripartite consultation on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement to be held in mid-July.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) Poroshenko described the Association Agreement as an instrument of preparing Ukraine for its full-fledged membership of the European Union.
   
• (ITAR-TASS) The European Union's summit held in Brussels demanded that hostages be released, border checkpoints vacated and talks in the East of Ukraine started by June 30.
   
• Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Karasin said that the signing of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement is a sovereign right of Ukraine but this step will have serious implications.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union does not pose any threats to third countries and commodity producers may even benefit from it. Poroshenko said Russia should be interested in this agreement "because Ukraine can be a bridge enabling Russia commodities to enter European markets."
   
• (RIA Novosti) A Russian deputy FM said that Russia expects the forthcoming expert-level consultations and ministerial talks with Ukraine and the EU on Kiev’s association with the bloc will be a step toward reaching common ground.
   
• Russian President Putin said that the ‘anti-constitutional coup’ staged in Ukraine and attempts to artificially impose a choice between Europe and Russia on that country have pushed Ukrainian society toward a split.
   
• (Interfax Ukraine) The European Council called on all parties to the conflict in Ukraine to fulfill the peace plan put forward by President Petro Poroshenko regarding the settlement of the situation in the eastern regions.
   
• (RIA Novosti) Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded Germany as Russia’s most important partner in promoting peace and global stability.
   
• (RIA Novosti) Ukraine’s chances of attaining candidate status for membership in the European Union are hard to predict, Stefan Fuele, EU Commissioner for Enlargement said.
   

International Observation Missions

• (ITAR-TASS) Four OSCE observers who had been held hostage in Ukraine were released and were headed for Donetsk.
   

Constitutional Reform

• (RIA Novosti) A list of draft amendments to the Ukrainian constitution proposed by President Petro Poroshenko was lodged with the country’s parliament.
   
• (RIA Novosti) Russian FM Lavrov said that the Ukrainian government has so far made no practical moves to discuss amendments to the country’s constitution with the breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
   

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