Kyiv will be grateful if its partners send troops into the country, PM said

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal in an interview with CBC television said that Kyiv would be grateful to its partners if they decide to send troops to Ukraine.

Western arms deliveries heightening Ukraine tensions: Russia

Russia on Tuesday underlined the need for de-escalation on Ukraine as tensions, "rising day by day," are stoked further by Western arms deliveries.

Moscow: Terrorists used chemical weapons in Syria via Western Europe-made equipment

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that terrorists used the chemical weapons in Syria through Western Europe-made equipment.

Turkey could rethink disputed air defense program

With parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov. 1 and defense bureaucracy at a near standstill, some military planners are questioning the wisdom of a controversial Turkish defense contract for the construction of the country’s first long-range air and anti-missile defense system.

China says Turkey will decide in its 'own interests' on missile system

China said on Sept. 9 that Turkey would decide in its "own interests" after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the country was in talks with France on buying a missile defence system following disagreements with Beijing.
 
U.S. and NATO officials have said Turkish collaboration on the system with China, which was originally awarded the tender, could raise questions of compatibility of weaponry and of security.
  
The missile deal constituted normal trade cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

Turkey moving away from Russia over Crimea

Turkey has decided to toe the Western powers' line, at least on principle for the moment, in dismissing the outcome of Crimea's referendum to break away from Ukraine, a clear sign that Turkey is moving away from Russia.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday that Turkey does not recognize the Crimean referendum, calling the poll " illegitimate," a day after the Crimean people voted overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.
On Sunday, Crimean residents voted to break off from Ukraine and join Russia. According to the final results of the referendum, around 96 percent of participants voted to break away from Ukraine.

Serbia’s ex-minister: western interference is the root cause behind the Ukrainian drama

The former Serbian foreign minister, Vuk Draskovic, believes that western interference was the root cause behind the Ukrainian drama.
“I know the Russians and Ukrainians very well. There could have been no drama at all if it had not been for outside interference. The Ukrainians and Russians would have resolved all their disputes, which in fact are inevitable in any family, quickly and easily just the way disputes are resolved in families,” Draskovic, who was the Serbian foreign minister from 2004 to 2007, the leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) and a writer, said in an interview with Itar-Tass a few days ago on March 9.

West’s interpretation of freedom for Ukraine ‘strange’ – Lavrov (video Ru)

Western politicians who advocate freedom of choice for Ukraine, but say this must be a pro-European choice, have a strange interpretation of freedom, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a security conference in Munich.
Lavrov was responding to numerous statements, including from the European Council President Hermann van Rompuy and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, which were voiced just minutes before at the conference. He also criticized Western support for Ukrainian anti-government protests, which he said ignored the darker side of the movements behind the violence there.

Turkey asks US to ‘extend pricing’ on missile offer. -NATO is worried about Turkey buying a system not compatible with those of other member states.

Turkey has asked the United States to extend the pricing on Raytheon Co’s Patriot missile defense system proposal, two sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Monday, a sign that Ankara is keeping its options open in case its talks with the preferred Chinese supplier fall through.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan last week said Ankara would be open to new offers if its talks about co-producing a long-range air and missile defense system with China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp (CPMIEC) fail.

Turkey’s decision to choose a $3.4 billion Chinese offer over rival bids from Russian, U.S. and European firms has raised concern among Turkey’s Western allies. The sources familiar with the U.S. proposal to supply a Raytheon-built Patriot missile defense system said Turkish officials had requested an extension of the pricing included in the bid while their talks continued with China.