Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that the closure and the accountability needed after Iran has admitted that it unintentionally brought down Ukrainian International Airlines airplane. As per the reports, the Ukrainian plane had flown close to a sensitive military site. The crash killed all 176 people who were on board including many Iranians and Canadians. #WION #Iran #IranPlaneCrash #JavadZarif #Trudeau

Justin Trudeau: Closure, accountability needed

The United States Secretary of State lashed out at Iran saying that he is sure that Iranian missiles shot down the Ukrainian airline which led the killing of 176 people. Watch report: #US #Iran #UkrainianAirline #Boeing #Ukraine

Today Tonight: US lashes out at Iran, levies new sanctions

Boeing has released hundreds of internal messages that contained harshly critical comments about the development of the 737 MAX, including one that said the plane was designed by clowns who in turn are supervised by monkeys. Watch video to know more. #Boeing #BoeingEmails # 737MAX #US #Iran #Ukraine

Fineprint: Boeing emails reveal Max 737 designed by clowns

Amid row over the crash of Ukrainian plane in Tehran, Iran's civil aviation chief Ali Abedzadeh said on Friday he was "certain" that the aircraft was not hit by a missile.&nbsp;

"One thing is for certain, this airplane was not hit by a missile," Abedzadeh said in a press conference.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/intelligence-evidence-indicates-boeing-airliner-was-shot-down-by-iranian-surface-to-air-missile-trudeau-273282">Intelligence evidence indicates Boeing airliner was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missile: Trudeau</a>

Iran's civil aviation chief's statements came after Britain and Canada claimed that intelligence sources suggested a catastrophic error by Iranian air defence batteries had crashed the aircraft.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-did-iran-shoot-down-the-ukrainian-jet-273279/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-rumours-missile-caused-plane-crash-make-no-sense-273278">Iran says rumours missile caused plane crash make 'no sense'</a>

Abedzadeh also said that "any remarks made before the data is extracted ... is not an expert opinion."

Earlier, a video was surfaced that showed the moment the airliner was hit.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-us-plane-crash-news-updates-iran-formally-invites-us-transport-board-to-investigate-boeing-airliner-crash-273301">Iran plane crash news: Iran formally invites US transport board to investigate Boeing airliner crash</a>

New York Times claimed that it has verified the footage, which shows a rapidly-moving object rising to an angle into the sky before a flash is noticed, which dims and continues moving forward. After several seconds, an explosion is heard.&nbsp;

"We have seen some videos. We confirm that the airplane was on fire for 60 to 70 seconds," Abedzadeh said.&nbsp;

But to say "that it was hit by something cannot be scientifically correct," the aviation chief added.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that probe from multiple agencies showed that the plane was crashed after it was shot down by an Iranian missile.

63 Canadians were amongst the 176 people that were killed in the crash.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also backed Trudeau's claims and said that the missile targetting the aircraft "may well have been unintentional."

The Ukranian airlines' Boeing 737 crashed after taking off from Tehran on Wednesday, nearly at the same time when Iran claimed it fired two missiles on US airbases in Iraq.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Amid row over the crash of Ukrainian plane in Tehran, Iran's civil aviation chief Ali Abedzadeh said on Friday he was "certain" that the aircraft was not hit by a missile.

Amid row over the crash of Ukrainian plane in Tehran, Iran's civil aviation chief Ali Abedzadeh said on Friday he was "certain" that the aircraft was not hit by a missile. "One thing is for certain, this airplane was not hit by a missile," Abedzadeh said in a press conference. Also read: Intelligence evidence indicates Boeing airliner was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missile: Trudeau Iran's civil aviation chief's statements came after Britain and Canada claimed that intelligence sources suggested a catastrophic error by Iranian air defence batteries had crashed the aircraft. Watch: Also read: Iran says rumours missile caused plane crash make 'no sense' Abedzadeh also said that "any remarks made before the data is extracted ... is not an expert opinion." Earlier, a video was surfaced that showed the moment the airliner was hit. Also read: Iran plane crash news: Iran formally invites US transport board to investigate Boeing airliner crash New York Times claimed that it has verified the footage, which shows a rapidly-moving object rising to an angle into the sky before a flash is noticed, which dims and continues moving forward. After several seconds, an explosion is heard. "We have seen some videos. We confirm that the airplane was on fire for 60 to 70 seconds," Abedzadeh said. But to say "that it was hit by something cannot be scientifically correct," the aviation chief added. On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that probe from multiple agencies showed that the plane was crashed after it was shot down by an Iranian missile. 63 Canadians were amongst the 176 people that were killed in the crash. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also backed Trudeau's claims and said that the missile targetting the aircraft "may well have been unintentional." The Ukranian airlines' Boeing 737 crashed after taking off from Tehran on Wednesday, nearly at the same time when Iran claimed it fired two missiles on US airbases in Iraq. (with inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian aircraft was not hit by a missile: Iran's civil aviation chief

Investigators are pursuing several leads following the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran, including a <a href="Ukraine says missile, technical malfunction among Iran crash leads">surface-to-air missile strike</a>, an act of terror and engine failure, a Ukrainian security official said on Thursday.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crashed-boeing-underwent-maintenance-checks-2-days-before-accident-ukraine-airline-273006">Ukraine International Airlines </a>(UIA) Boeing went down outside Tehran shortly after take-off on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board.

"For the moment we are working on seven different versions of the event that took place in Iran," Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council (RNBO), told AFP.

The council is tasked with coordinating the probe into the disaster, the first fatal crash involving Ukraine's biggest carrier UIA.

Danilov also said on Facebook that the leads being studied include both technical malfunctions and foul play, but told AFP that "there is no priority version" yet.

The leads under consideration include a collision with another airborne object, a rocket from Iran's missile defence system, an engine explosion caused by a technical problem, and an explosion on board the aircraft due to an "act of terror", he said on Facebook.

Danilov told AFP that for the moment there was no reason to believe that the airliner had been hit by a missile.

"We are very carefully studying all seven versions," he said.

Dozens of top Ukrainian experts flew to Tehran early Thursday and were currently working in the country, the council said.

The crash -- which killed mainly Iranians and Canadians -- came shortly after Tehran launched missiles at bases in Iraq housing American troops to avenge the US killing of a top Iranian general last week.

The airline said the Boeing 737 had been built in 2016 and checked only two days before the accident.&nbsp;

It said the pilots were well trained and that the plane's captain had more than 11,000 hours of flying experience, mostly on the Boeing 737.

Iranian authorities on Thursday said the plane turned around after taking off after suffering a "problem", disappearing from radars at an altitude of 2,400 metres (8,000 feet), but that the crew sent no message about an emergency.

Investigators are pursuing several leads following the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran, including a surface-to-air missile strike, an act of terror and engine failure, a Ukrainian security official said on Thursday.

Investigators are pursuing several leads following the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran, including a surface-to-air missile strike, an act of terror and engine failure, a Ukrainian security official said on Thursday. The Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing went down outside Tehran shortly after take-off on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board. "For the moment we are working on seven different versions of the event that took place in Iran," Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council (RNBO), told AFP. The council is tasked with coordinating the probe into the disaster, the first fatal crash involving Ukraine's biggest carrier UIA. Danilov also said on Facebook that the leads being studied include both technical malfunctions and foul play, but told AFP that "there is no priority version" yet. The leads under consideration include a collision with another airborne object, a rocket from Iran's missile defence system, an engine explosion caused by a technical problem, and an explosion on board the aircraft due to an "act of terror", he said on Facebook. Danilov told AFP that for the moment there was no reason to believe that the airliner had been hit by a missile. "We are very carefully studying all seven versions," he said. Dozens of top Ukrainian experts flew to Tehran early Thursday and were currently working in the country, the council said. The crash -- which killed mainly Iranians and Canadians -- came shortly after Tehran launched missiles at bases in Iraq housing American troops to avenge the US killing of a top Iranian general last week. The airline said the Boeing 737 had been built in 2016 and checked only two days before the accident. It said the pilots were well trained and that the plane's captain had more than 11,000 hours of flying experience, mostly on the Boeing 737. Iranian authorities on Thursday said the plane turned around after taking off after suffering a "problem", disappearing from radars at an altitude of 2,400 metres (8,000 feet), but that the crew sent no message about an emergency.

Ukraine plane crash: Investigators consider several leads including missile strike, technical malfunction, act of terror

Unverified pictures of a missile-looking structure shared online by Iranian accounts have fanned speculations around the Ukrainian airplane crash.&nbsp;

The images suggest the existence of a missile attack on the Ukranian International Airlines airplane that crashed on Wednesday in Iran.&nbsp;

According to reports, some Iranian users have reportedly posted pictures of debris that shows something resembling a section of a missile.&nbsp;

The image of debris was reportedly taken from in front of a house in Iraq's Parand city, close to Tehran where the Ukrainian airplane crashed at the primary airport.&nbsp;

However, the theory of a missile shooting down the Ukrainian Boeing 737 could be a far-fetched one with Ukrainian and Iranian authorities blaming the crash on technical shortcomings.&nbsp;

<img alt="Ukranian International Airlines" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a099c67-3845-4015-9344-1b38385d77c0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2814%29_3.jpg" />

The Ukrainian embassy to Iran on Wednesday said that engine failure caused the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, rather than a missile attack or act of terrorism, news agency Reuters reported.

In an official statement, the Ukraine International Airline said that the Boeing 737 was built in the year 2016 and had undergone a maintenance check only <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crashed-boeing-underwent-maintenance-checks-2-days-before-accident-ukraine-airline-273006">two days before the crash took place</a>.

"The plane was manufactured in 2016, it was received by the airline directly from the (Boeing) factory. The plane underwent its last planned technical maintenance on January 6, 2020," the airlines said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-boeing-737-airliner-turned-was-headed-to-airport-when-it-crashed-iran-civil-aviation-authority-273145">Ukrainian Boeing 737 airliner turned, was headed to airport when it crashed</a>

Ukraine confirmed that all passengers and crew on flight PS752 of Ukraine International Airline were killed in the crash - a total of around 170 people with around 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, three Britons and 9 crew members.&nbsp;

<img alt="​​​​​​​​" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="090af0c9-1618-435c-812d-7d109afb8a4f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2813%29_3.jpg" />

&nbsp;

"We will surely find out the truth. For this purpose, a thorough and independent investigation will be conducted in accordance with international law," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said calling for a thorough probe into the mishap.

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The plane took from Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport and disappeared from radars just a few minutes later, crashing in Tehran province.

Iranian authorities claim that the plane had caught fire due to some technical snag in the engine and was already on fire before it came crashing down.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Iran's civil aviation investigators said that the plane tried heading back to the airport on detecting the problem.&nbsp;

<img alt="Ukranian International Airlines" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="644f1df4-1475-4bf9-a70f-ba9f6d3365bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2816%29_3.jpg" />

&nbsp;

"The plane, which was initially headed west to leave the airport zone, turned right following a problem and was headed back to the airport at the moment of the crash," the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation said. As per reports, the pilot of the plane did not make a radio call for help.&nbsp;

Iran said it had recovered the plane's black boxes without commenting on what it plans to do with it. Tehran has refused to hand over the boxes to Boeing and US authorities.&nbsp;

Ukraine International Airlines, in the meanwhile, announced the suspension of all operations to Tehran until further notice.&nbsp;

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also called for a &nbsp;probe into the crash while demanding Ottawa's involvement in the investigation.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Unverified pictures of a missile-looking structure shared online by Iranian accounts have fanned speculations around the Ukrainian airplane crash. The images suggest the existence of a missile attack on the Ukranian International Airlines airplane that crashed on Wednesday in Iran.

Unverified pictures of a missile-looking structure shared online by Iranian accounts have fanned speculations around the Ukrainian airplane crash. The images suggest the existence of a missile attack on the Ukranian International Airlines airplane that crashed on Wednesday in Iran. According to reports, some Iranian users have reportedly posted pictures of debris that shows something resembling a section of a missile. The image of debris was reportedly taken from in front of a house in Iraq's Parand city, close to Tehran where the Ukrainian airplane crashed at the primary airport. However, the theory of a missile shooting down the Ukrainian Boeing 737 could be a far-fetched one with Ukrainian and Iranian authorities blaming the crash on technical shortcomings. The Ukrainian embassy to Iran on Wednesday said that engine failure caused the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, rather than a missile attack or act of terrorism, news agency Reuters reported. In an official statement, the Ukraine International Airline said that the Boeing 737 was built in the year 2016 and had undergone a maintenance check only two days before the crash took place. "The plane was manufactured in 2016, it was received by the airline directly from the (Boeing) factory. The plane underwent its last planned technical maintenance on January 6, 2020," the airlines said. Also read: Ukrainian Boeing 737 airliner turned, was headed to airport when it crashed Ukraine confirmed that all passengers and crew on flight PS752 of Ukraine International Airline were killed in the crash - a total of around 170 people with around 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, three Britons and 9 crew members. "We will surely find out the truth. For this purpose, a thorough and independent investigation will be conducted in accordance with international law," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said calling for a thorough probe into the mishap. × The plane took from Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport and disappeared from radars just a few minutes later, crashing in Tehran province. Iranian authorities claim that the plane had caught fire due to some technical snag in the engine and was already on fire before it came crashing down. Meanwhile, Iran's civil aviation investigators said that the plane tried heading back to the airport on detecting the problem. "The plane, which was initially headed west to leave the airport zone, turned right following a problem and was headed back to the airport at the moment of the crash," the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation said. As per reports, the pilot of the plane did not make a radio call for help. Iran said it had recovered the plane's black boxes without commenting on what it plans to do with it. Tehran has refused to hand over the boxes to Boeing and US authorities. Ukraine International Airlines, in the meanwhile, announced the suspension of all operations to Tehran until further notice. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also called for a probe into the crash while demanding Ottawa's involvement in the investigation. (With inputs from agencies)

Western intel agencies, Iran and Ukraine dismiss theory of missile downing Ukrainian plane

According to reports, a Ukraine International Airlines flight carrying 180 passengers has crashed soon after it took off from Iran’s Imam Khomeini airport on Wednesday (January 8). #WION #Iran #Ukraine #AirlineCrash

Breaking: Ukraine airline crashes in Iran

All 176 passengers onboard a Ukrainian bound commercial flight, that crashed in Iran on Wednesday, have died in the mishap. #WION #Iran #AirplaneCrash

All dead in Ukrainian airplane crash in Iran

US&nbsp;Secretary of State <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/mike-pompeo-attempts-us-reset-in-the-middle-east-191020">Mike&nbsp;Pompeo</a>&nbsp;will&nbsp;reaffirm&nbsp;US&nbsp;support&nbsp;for&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;this week, the State Department said on Monday, on the highest-level&nbsp;US&nbsp;visit&nbsp;since President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trumps-attitude-towards-india-unpredictable-unreliable-238560">Donald Trump</a>'s impeachment over his handling of relations with&nbsp;Ukraine.

Trump's conduct of&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;policy has raised questions about his commitment to the country's security as it battles Russia-backed rebels and seeks to recover Crimea, seized by Moscow in 2014.

A senior State Department official said&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;will stress in talks with Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-mike-pompeo-to-meet-ukraines-president-volodymyr-zelenskiy-on-friday-271101">Volodymyr Zelenskiy</a> and other top officials that as "Ukraine&nbsp;faces its challenges, the United States is with them."

Pompeo&nbsp;also will&nbsp;reaffirm&nbsp;US&nbsp;backing of Zelenskiy's anti-corruption reforms, said the official, who could not be further identified under the rules of a briefing on&nbsp;Pompeo's January&nbsp;3-7 trip to&nbsp;Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Cyprus.

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on December&nbsp;18 impeached Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, stemming from his bid to push Zelenskiy to open investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender to run against Trump in the 2020 election, and a debunked theory on election interference.

The senior State Department official dodged questions about whether&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;would raise with Ukrainian leaders the investigations sought by Trump.

"I can't tell you every topic that's going to come up in those bilateral meetings," said the official.

The House inquiry concluded that Trump sought the investigations in return for granting Zelenskiy an Oval Office&nbsp;visit. It also found that Trump held back $391 million in congressionally approved aid that&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;needed to defend against Russia-backed separatists.

Trump and his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, have promoted&nbsp;unsubstantiated allegations that Biden, while vice president, blocked an investigation into the Ukrainian energy firm whose board members included his son, Hunter.

They also have trumpeted a discredited theory that it was&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;that interfered in the 2016&nbsp;US&nbsp;presidential election.

The&nbsp;US&nbsp;intelligence community and a bipartisan Senate investigation concluded that Russia interfered to swing the vote to Trump over his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Russia denies the allegation.

The State Department official also evaded questions about whether&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;sought the early departure from Kiev of the acting&nbsp;US&nbsp;ambassador, William Taylor, whose testimony was a key factor in the House Democrats' impeachment case.

Taylor is leaving Kiev before&nbsp;Pompeo's arrival even though his term does not expire until mid-January.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will reaffirm US support for Ukraine this week, the State Department said on Monday, on the highest-level US visit since President Donald Trump's impeachment over his handling of relations with Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will reaffirm US support for Ukraine this week, the State Department said on Monday, on the highest-level US visit since President Donald Trump's impeachment over his handling of relations with Ukraine. Trump's conduct of Ukraine policy has raised questions about his commitment to the country's security as it battles Russia-backed rebels and seeks to recover Crimea, seized by Moscow in 2014. A senior State Department official said Pompeo will stress in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other top officials that as "Ukraine faces its challenges, the United States is with them." Pompeo also will reaffirm US backing of Zelenskiy's anti-corruption reforms, said the official, who could not be further identified under the rules of a briefing on Pompeo's January 3-7 trip to Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Cyprus. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on December 18 impeached Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, stemming from his bid to push Zelenskiy to open investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender to run against Trump in the 2020 election, and a debunked theory on election interference. The senior State Department official dodged questions about whether Pompeo would raise with Ukrainian leaders the investigations sought by Trump. "I can't tell you every topic that's going to come up in those bilateral meetings," said the official. The House inquiry concluded that Trump sought the investigations in return for granting Zelenskiy an Oval Office visit. It also found that Trump held back $391 million in congressionally approved aid that Ukraine needed to defend against Russia-backed separatists. Trump and his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, have promoted unsubstantiated allegations that Biden, while vice president, blocked an investigation into the Ukrainian energy firm whose board members included his son, Hunter. They also have trumpeted a discredited theory that it was Ukraine that interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. The US intelligence community and a bipartisan Senate investigation concluded that Russia interfered to swing the vote to Trump over his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Russia denies the allegation. The State Department official also evaded questions about whether Pompeo sought the early departure from Kiev of the acting US ambassador, William Taylor, whose testimony was a key factor in the House Democrats' impeachment case. Taylor is leaving Kiev before Pompeo's arrival even though his term does not expire until mid-January.

Pompeo set to reaffirm support to Ukraine: US State Department

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-finalise-gas-deal-one-day-before-deadline-271258">Ukraine and Russia</a> are working towards a new prisoner exchange, just two days after swapping 200 captives, Kiev said Tuesday after leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the phone.

The two countries "agreed to immediately start agreeing on lists (of names) for freeing Ukrainians, including Crimeans, who are in Crimea and in Russia, as well as Russians in Ukraine," the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement.

The news comes after a massive exchange of prisoners on Sunday, with 12 Ukrainian soldiers and 64 civilians flown to Kiev.

Ukraine also handed over people in its custody to pro-Russian separatists, including five riot policemen suspected of shooting protesters during a pro-Western uprising in 2014.

Zelensky said on Sunday that Kiev is working on returning those detained in Crimea, without elaborating on numbers.

Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, shortly after the Maidan uprising ousted pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych.

The Kremlin, which also provided a readout of the phone call on Tuesday, remarked on the "positive" Sunday exchange but made no mention of any similar swap being planned.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-rivals-exchange-200-prisoners-in-controversial-swap-270877">Exchanging prisoners</a> resumed following face-to-face talks between Putin and Zelensky in Paris on December 9, in a European-mediated summit aimed at de-escalating the continent's only active war.

The conflict was sparked in 2014 in eastern Ukraine between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists following the annexation of Crimea and has led to the deaths of more than 13,000 people.

Ukraine and Russia are working towards a new prisoner exchange, just two days after swapping 200 captives, Kiev said Tuesday after leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the phone.

Ukraine and Russia are working towards a new prisoner exchange, just two days after swapping 200 captives, Kiev said Tuesday after leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the phone. The two countries "agreed to immediately start agreeing on lists (of names) for freeing Ukrainians, including Crimeans, who are in Crimea and in Russia, as well as Russians in Ukraine," the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement. The news comes after a massive exchange of prisoners on Sunday, with 12 Ukrainian soldiers and 64 civilians flown to Kiev. Ukraine also handed over people in its custody to pro-Russian separatists, including five riot policemen suspected of shooting protesters during a pro-Western uprising in 2014. Zelensky said on Sunday that Kiev is working on returning those detained in Crimea, without elaborating on numbers. Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, shortly after the Maidan uprising ousted pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych. The Kremlin, which also provided a readout of the phone call on Tuesday, remarked on the "positive" Sunday exchange but made no mention of any similar swap being planned. Exchanging prisoners resumed following face-to-face talks between Putin and Zelensky in Paris on December 9, in a European-mediated summit aimed at de-escalating the continent's only active war. The conflict was sparked in 2014 in eastern Ukraine between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists following the annexation of Crimea and has led to the deaths of more than 13,000 people.

Planning new prisoner swaps with Ukraine: Russia

Moscow and Kiev on Monday signed a five-year agreement on the transit of Russian gas to Europe via <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mike-pompeo-to-reaffirm-us-support-on-visit-to-ukraine-271155">Ukraine</a>, finalising months of difficult talks just ahead of a New Year deadline.

The current deal between the two ex-Soviet countries expires Tuesday and ties between them have been shredded since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 and supported a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky discussed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-rivals-exchange-200-prisoners-in-controversial-swap-270877">the deal</a> by phone and congratulated each other ahead of New Year's celebrations, a sign that their relations could be on the mend.

The gas deal "creates a positive atmosphere for solving other bilateral problems," the Kremlin said in a statement.

About 18 per cent of the European Union's annual natural gas consumption comes from Russia via Ukraine, which put pressure on EU officials to help broker the deal.

"Ukraine has signed a five-year transit contract," Zelensky announced in a late-night post on his Facebook page, nearly two weeks after a provisional deal was reached.

A wide range of documents and contracts were involved, and together formed "a package deal which has re-established the balance of interests," Alexei Miller, the boss of Russian gas giant Gazprom, was cited as saying in a statement.

The documents were signed after five days of non-stop talks.

Gazprom is expected to ship at least 65 billion cubic meters (2.3 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas via Ukraine next year, and at least 40 billion per year from 2021 to 2024, said Zelensky, from which Kiev would earn "more than seven billion dollars".

Watch:&nbsp;Russia and Ukraine to implement a ceasefire

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'Great news' for Europe

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-outline-terms-for-five-year-gas-transit-deal-to-end-row-269490">The agreement</a> should prevent a repeat of so-called gas wars that previously disrupted supplies and in some years caused real energy problems in EU member states.

EU Commission vice president in charge of energy Maros Sevcovic called the deal "great news for Europe's energy security" on Twitter, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel thanked Russia and Ukraine.

"Continued gas transit via Ukraine... is a good and important signal for ensuring our European security of gas supply," she said.

Last year, Gazprom supplied Europe with 200.8 billion cubic metres of natural gas, about 40 per cent of which passed through Ukraine for roughly three billion dollars in transit fees.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Moscow wanted to keep some gas flowing through Ukraine, despite having built several pipelines to Europe since the current deal was agreed a decade ago.

The new agreement comes days after Gazprom paid $2.9 billion to Ukraine's Naftogaz to settle a long-running dispute over transit fees that had blocked the deal.

Meanwhile, Russia is pursuing work on the Nord Stream 2 project that is to be completed by the end of next year and would double gas shipments to Germany.

The United States has long opposed the 9.5-billion-euro ($10.6-billion) project and the US Senate voted last week to levy sanctions on companies working on it.

Washington believes the pipeline will give Russia too much influence over security and economic issues in western Europe.

Transit problems for Russian gas began after the fall of the Soviet Union when independent Ukraine took control of the pipeline infrastructure.

Several crises followed, with Russia using gas supplies to put pressure on Ukraine by cutting them repeatedly in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

The last gas crisis disrupted supplies to Europe in 2010.

Moscow and Kiev on Monday signed a five-year agreement on the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine, finalising months of difficult talks just ahead of a New Year deadline.

Moscow and Kiev on Monday signed a five-year agreement on the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine, finalising months of difficult talks just ahead of a New Year deadline. The current deal between the two ex-Soviet countries expires Tuesday and ties between them have been shredded since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 and supported a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the deal by phone and congratulated each other ahead of New Year's celebrations, a sign that their relations could be on the mend. The gas deal "creates a positive atmosphere for solving other bilateral problems," the Kremlin said in a statement. About 18 per cent of the European Union's annual natural gas consumption comes from Russia via Ukraine, which put pressure on EU officials to help broker the deal. "Ukraine has signed a five-year transit contract," Zelensky announced in a late-night post on his Facebook page, nearly two weeks after a provisional deal was reached. A wide range of documents and contracts were involved, and together formed "a package deal which has re-established the balance of interests," Alexei Miller, the boss of Russian gas giant Gazprom, was cited as saying in a statement. The documents were signed after five days of non-stop talks. Gazprom is expected to ship at least 65 billion cubic meters (2.3 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas via Ukraine next year, and at least 40 billion per year from 2021 to 2024, said Zelensky, from which Kiev would earn "more than seven billion dollars". Watch: Russia and Ukraine to implement a ceasefire 'Great news' for Europe The agreement should prevent a repeat of so-called gas wars that previously disrupted supplies and in some years caused real energy problems in EU member states. EU Commission vice president in charge of energy Maros Sevcovic called the deal "great news for Europe's energy security" on Twitter, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel thanked Russia and Ukraine. "Continued gas transit via Ukraine... is a good and important signal for ensuring our European security of gas supply," she said. Last year, Gazprom supplied Europe with 200.8 billion cubic metres of natural gas, about 40 per cent of which passed through Ukraine for roughly three billion dollars in transit fees. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Moscow wanted to keep some gas flowing through Ukraine, despite having built several pipelines to Europe since the current deal was agreed a decade ago. The new agreement comes days after Gazprom paid $2.9 billion to Ukraine's Naftogaz to settle a long-running dispute over transit fees that had blocked the deal. Meanwhile, Russia is pursuing work on the Nord Stream 2 project that is to be completed by the end of next year and would double gas shipments to Germany. The United States has long opposed the 9.5-billion-euro ($10.6-billion) project and the US Senate voted last week to levy sanctions on companies working on it. Washington believes the pipeline will give Russia too much influence over security and economic issues in western Europe. Transit problems for Russian gas began after the fall of the Soviet Union when independent Ukraine took control of the pipeline infrastructure. Several crises followed, with Russia using gas supplies to put pressure on Ukraine by cutting them repeatedly in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The last gas crisis disrupted supplies to Europe in 2010.

Ukraine-Russia finalise gas deal one day before deadline

Ukrainian authorities and Russia-backed separatists in the war-torn east of Ukraine have exchanged 200 prisoners, swapping detained fighters for civilians and service personnel held captive in some cases for years. #WION #UkrainePrisoners #ProRussia

Ukraine, Pro-Russia separatists complete prisoner swap

Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in the country's war-torn east <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-begins-all-for-all-prisoner-swap-with-separatists-270857">exchanged 200 prisoners on Sunday</a>, swapping detained fighters for civilians and servicemen held captive in some cases for years in two breakaway regions.

Kiev handed over to separatists five riot policemen suspected of killing protesters during a pro-Western uprising in 2014 as part of the swap, sparking public outrage.

"The mutual release of the detainees has ended," the Ukrainian presidential office said in a statement on Facebook, adding that it would provide more details later.

The presidency said Kiev received 76 captives, while separatist officials said the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics took in a total of 124.

The head of the Lugansk stronghold, Leonid Pasechnik, congratulated his people on a new "victory" ahead of the New Year's festivities.

The exchange came after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky held their first face-to-face talks in Paris on December 9 and agreed measures to de-escalate Europe's only active war.&nbsp;

Prisoners filed off coaches at the Mayorske checkpoint in the eastern Donetsk region, many carrying plastic bags stuffed with their belongings, as gun-toting uniformed soldiers and ambulances were on standby.

Among the group of detainees handed over by the separatists were those who said they had been held for several years after getting caught up in the conflict while visiting relatives.

Volodymyr Danylchenko, who said he had spent three years in captivity, said he was at a loss for words.&nbsp;

"I myself don't understand what's happened," said the 36-year-old, adding that he was leaving his mother behind in the separatist region of Lugansk.&nbsp;

Bittersweet homecoming

Another detainee released by the separatists, who gave just her first name Victoria, said she had been held for three years.&nbsp;

"I am so happy," the 24-year-old told AFP, adding that she had been convicted of "state treason" and sentenced to 12 years in prison after arriving in the Lugansk region to see her parents.&nbsp;

Another woman being handed to Kiev sported a handwritten sign on her clothing: "My country is Ukraine!"&nbsp;

The swap, which was overseen by monitors from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, came three months after Ukraine carried out a long-awaited exchange with Russia of 35 prisoners each.&nbsp;

The previous prisoner swap between Kiev and separatists took place in 2017.

Ties between Ukraine and Russia were shredded after the bloody 2014 uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime.&nbsp;

Moscow went on to annex Crimea and support insurgents in eastern Ukraine who launched a bid for independence in 2014. Since then more than 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

'No future'&nbsp;

The release of the riot police has raised concerns in Ukraine, with many fearing the country is being pushed to pay too high a price for the swap. &nbsp;

Ahead of the exchange three riot policemen were released from custody while another two were freed from house arrest.

The riot policemen are suspected to have been involved in the bloody crackdown on protesters in 2014. Some 100 demonstrators were shot dead during the uprising.

"What Ukrainians have been fighting for is going down the drain," filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was released in the September prisoner exchange, said on Facebook.

In an open letter to Zelensky, the victims' families warned that the release of the suspects could lead to a "wave of protests".

Volodymyr Golodnyuk, whose 19-year son was killed in the uprising, accused authorities of "abusing the justice system".

"This country has no future," he said.&nbsp;

In an apparent move to allay concerns, Ukraine's prosecutor-general's office said the trial of the five former policemen would continue.

'Frozen' conflict

Since coming to power in May, comedian-turned-president Zelensky, 41, has sought to kickstart a peace process to end the conflict.

At the Paris summit, the leaders sought to revive accords signed in Minsk in 2015 that call for the withdrawal of heavy weapons, and the restoration of Kiev's control over its borders, among other conditions.

But many doubt whether Putin genuinely wants to settle the conflict.

He has said that if Kiev gets back control of the border in the east, residents of separatist-held territories could be targeted. &nbsp;

Zelensky's peace plan has also been strongly criticised by war veterans and nationalists.

Dmitri Trenin, head of the Carnegie Moscow Centre, praised the prisoner exchange but said it would not bring a settlement any closer.&nbsp;

"The conflict is much more likely to become frozen than resolved," he said on Twitter.

Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in the country's war-torn east exchanged 200 prisoners on Sunday, swapping detained fighters for civilians and servicemen held captive in some cases for years in two breakaway regions.

Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in the country's war-torn east exchanged 200 prisoners on Sunday, swapping detained fighters for civilians and servicemen held captive in some cases for years in two breakaway regions. Kiev handed over to separatists five riot policemen suspected of killing protesters during a pro-Western uprising in 2014 as part of the swap, sparking public outrage. "The mutual release of the detainees has ended," the Ukrainian presidential office said in a statement on Facebook, adding that it would provide more details later. The presidency said Kiev received 76 captives, while separatist officials said the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics took in a total of 124. The head of the Lugansk stronghold, Leonid Pasechnik, congratulated his people on a new "victory" ahead of the New Year's festivities. The exchange came after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky held their first face-to-face talks in Paris on December 9 and agreed measures to de-escalate Europe's only active war. Prisoners filed off coaches at the Mayorske checkpoint in the eastern Donetsk region, many carrying plastic bags stuffed with their belongings, as gun-toting uniformed soldiers and ambulances were on standby. Among the group of detainees handed over by the separatists were those who said they had been held for several years after getting caught up in the conflict while visiting relatives. Volodymyr Danylchenko, who said he had spent three years in captivity, said he was at a loss for words. "I myself don't understand what's happened," said the 36-year-old, adding that he was leaving his mother behind in the separatist region of Lugansk. Bittersweet homecoming Another detainee released by the separatists, who gave just her first name Victoria, said she had been held for three years. "I am so happy," the 24-year-old told AFP, adding that she had been convicted of "state treason" and sentenced to 12 years in prison after arriving in the Lugansk region to see her parents. Another woman being handed to Kiev sported a handwritten sign on her clothing: "My country is Ukraine!" The swap, which was overseen by monitors from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, came three months after Ukraine carried out a long-awaited exchange with Russia of 35 prisoners each. The previous prisoner swap between Kiev and separatists took place in 2017. Ties between Ukraine and Russia were shredded after the bloody 2014 uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime. Moscow went on to annex Crimea and support insurgents in eastern Ukraine who launched a bid for independence in 2014. Since then more than 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict. 'No future' The release of the riot police has raised concerns in Ukraine, with many fearing the country is being pushed to pay too high a price for the swap. Ahead of the exchange three riot policemen were released from custody while another two were freed from house arrest. The riot policemen are suspected to have been involved in the bloody crackdown on protesters in 2014. Some 100 demonstrators were shot dead during the uprising. "What Ukrainians have been fighting for is going down the drain," filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was released in the September prisoner exchange, said on Facebook. In an open letter to Zelensky, the victims' families warned that the release of the suspects could lead to a "wave of protests". Volodymyr Golodnyuk, whose 19-year son was killed in the uprising, accused authorities of "abusing the justice system". "This country has no future," he said. In an apparent move to allay concerns, Ukraine's prosecutor-general's office said the trial of the five former policemen would continue. 'Frozen' conflict Since coming to power in May, comedian-turned-president Zelensky, 41, has sought to kickstart a peace process to end the conflict. At the Paris summit, the leaders sought to revive accords signed in Minsk in 2015 that call for the withdrawal of heavy weapons, and the restoration of Kiev's control over its borders, among other conditions. But many doubt whether Putin genuinely wants to settle the conflict. He has said that if Kiev gets back control of the border in the east, residents of separatist-held territories could be targeted. Zelensky's peace plan has also been strongly criticised by war veterans and nationalists. Dmitri Trenin, head of the Carnegie Moscow Centre, praised the prisoner exchange but said it would not bring a settlement any closer. "The conflict is much more likely to become frozen than resolved," he said on Twitter.

Ukraine rivals exchange 200 prisoners in controversial swap

Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have started an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pro-russia-separatists-ukraine-to-swap-prisoners-270746">all-for-all prisoner swap</a>, after which all remaining prisoners of the five-year conflict should return home, the office of Ukraine's president said on Sunday.

The agreement was concluded by Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Paris in December.

The swap is taking place at a check point near the industrial town of Horlivka in the Donetsk region.

Russia's RIA news agency, citing a local official from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, said Kiev would hand over 87 separatists, while Donetsk would return 55 pro-central government fighters.

Kiev's forces have been battling separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a conflict that has claimed more than 13,000 lives. Sporadic fighting continues despite a ceasefire agreement.

There have been several prisoner exchanges between Kiev and the rebels. In the last swap, conducted in December 2017, Ukraine handed over about 300 captives to pro-Russian separatists and took back around 70.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, and its subsequent support for separatists in the eastern Donbass region.

President Zelenskiy won a landslide election victory in April promising to end the conflict.

Widely criticized domestically for his plan to grant special status to Donbass to help end the five-year conflict, Zelenskiy's latest actions have given rise to cautious optimism.

In September, after a carefully negotiated rapprochement, Russia and Ukraine swapped dozens of prisoners. The move brought Western praise and hopes that relations between Moscow and Kiev could thaw.

The released Ukrainians included sailors detained by Russia during a clash in waters off Crimea last year, and filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, jailed in Russia.

The meeting of Ukrainian, Russian, German and French leaders earlier this month in Paris renewed optimism for a resolution to the conflict, and confirmed the relevance of an early peace agreement signed in Belarusian capital Minsk in 2015.

Relations between the two countries are also unlikely to be aggravated by a dispute in the gas sector, where Kiev and Moscow are arguing about a new transit contract to replace the current agreement which expires at the end of the year.

Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of using natural gas supplies to put pressure on the neighbouring state, but last week the parties managed to agree on the main points of a new deal.

Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have started an all-for-all prisoner swap, after which all remaining prisoners of the five-year conflict should return home, the office of Ukraine's president said on Sunday.

Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have started an all-for-all prisoner swap, after which all remaining prisoners of the five-year conflict should return home, the office of Ukraine's president said on Sunday. The agreement was concluded by Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Paris in December. The swap is taking place at a check point near the industrial town of Horlivka in the Donetsk region. Russia's RIA news agency, citing a local official from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, said Kiev would hand over 87 separatists, while Donetsk would return 55 pro-central government fighters. Kiev's forces have been battling separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a conflict that has claimed more than 13,000 lives. Sporadic fighting continues despite a ceasefire agreement. There have been several prisoner exchanges between Kiev and the rebels. In the last swap, conducted in December 2017, Ukraine handed over about 300 captives to pro-Russian separatists and took back around 70. Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, and its subsequent support for separatists in the eastern Donbass region. President Zelenskiy won a landslide election victory in April promising to end the conflict. Widely criticized domestically for his plan to grant special status to Donbass to help end the five-year conflict, Zelenskiy's latest actions have given rise to cautious optimism. In September, after a carefully negotiated rapprochement, Russia and Ukraine swapped dozens of prisoners. The move brought Western praise and hopes that relations between Moscow and Kiev could thaw. The released Ukrainians included sailors detained by Russia during a clash in waters off Crimea last year, and filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, jailed in Russia. The meeting of Ukrainian, Russian, German and French leaders earlier this month in Paris renewed optimism for a resolution to the conflict, and confirmed the relevance of an early peace agreement signed in Belarusian capital Minsk in 2015. Relations between the two countries are also unlikely to be aggravated by a dispute in the gas sector, where Kiev and Moscow are arguing about a new transit contract to replace the current agreement which expires at the end of the year. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of using natural gas supplies to put pressure on the neighbouring state, but last week the parties managed to agree on the main points of a new deal.

Ukraine begins all-for-all prisoner swap with separatists

Ukrainian officials and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country have agreed to swap several prisoners on Sunday, the self-declared rebel republic of Donetsk said.

"Kiev and the Donbass (a term used to refer to rebel-held eastern Ukraine) have reached an accord on an exchange of prisoners... this Sunday December 29," Donetsk government spokeswoman Daria Morozova said in a statement.&nbsp;

So far, Ukraine has not confirmed the development but both sides had said earlier this month that they would carry out a prisoner exchange by the end of the year, following peace&nbsp;talks in Paris.&nbsp;

This development comes after Ukraine carried out an exchange with Russia of 35 prisoners each three months ago.&nbsp;

At the Paris summit on December 23, it was decided by the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine to implement a full ceasefire with a new withdrawal of forces from conflict zones by March 2020.&nbsp;

Over 13,000 people have been killed and one million have fled their homes since pro-Russia militias in eastern Ukraine launched a bid for independence in 2014.&nbsp;

(with inputs from AFP)

Ukrainian officials and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country have agreed to swap several prisoners on Sunday, the self-declared rebel republic of Donetsk said.

Ukrainian officials and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country have agreed to swap several prisoners on Sunday, the self-declared rebel republic of Donetsk said. "Kiev and the Donbass (a term used to refer to rebel-held eastern Ukraine) have reached an accord on an exchange of prisoners... this Sunday December 29," Donetsk government spokeswoman Daria Morozova said in a statement. So far, Ukraine has not confirmed the development but both sides had said earlier this month that they would carry out a prisoner exchange by the end of the year, following peace talks in Paris. This development comes after Ukraine carried out an exchange with Russia of 35 prisoners each three months ago. At the Paris summit on December 23, it was decided by the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine to implement a full ceasefire with a new withdrawal of forces from conflict zones by March 2020. Over 13,000 people have been killed and one million have fled their homes since pro-Russia militias in eastern Ukraine launched a bid for independence in 2014. (with inputs from AFP)

Pro-Russia separatists, Ukraine to swap prisoners

Russia and Ukraine announced terms of a new gas transit deal on Saturday, under which Moscow will supply Europe for at least another five years via its former Soviet neighbour and pay a $2.9 billion settlement to Kiev to end a legal dispute.

The deal is a major breakthrough for both countries, which have been seeking to resolve disputes over Ukraine's eastern Donbass region and the Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Under the new agreement, Russia's Gazprom, which supplies over a third of Europe's gas needs, would use an agent to book the transit of 225 billion cubic metres (bcm) of the fuel via Ukraine over five years.

Of the total, 65 bcm would be shipped in 2020, falling to 40 bcm in 2021 and in each of the subsequent years, Gazprom said.

The Russian gas company would also pay Ukraine the $2.9 billion before Dec. 29, in line with the amount proposed in arbitration rulings between Gazprom and Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz in 2018.

In exchange, Ukraine is expected to sign a legal settlement and withdraw all outstanding claims, also before Dec. 29, aiming to resolve the issue before the existing supply deal expires.

Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz had gone to an arbitration court in Stockholm in a number of disputes over gas prices and transit fees dating back to 2014.

The presidents of Russia and Ukraine met in Paris on Dec. 9 to discuss options for a settlement over Donbass and terms for the new gas transit deal. The talks, known as the Normandy summit, were brokered by France and Germany.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Oleksiy Orzhel said on Saturday that under the new deal both parties had an option to extend the five-year term by another 10 years. He added that the transmission tariff for the Russian gas would rise.

The deal comes as U.S. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Friday that included provisions to impose sanctions on companies laying pipe for Nord Stream 2, a project that aims to double gas capacity from Russia along the northern Nord Stream 1 pipeline route to Germany.

Nord Stream 2, which will run along the Baltic sea floor, will enable Russia to bypass Ukraine and Poland to deliver gas.

The group behind Nord Stream 2 said on Saturday it aimed to complete the pipeline as soon as possible, after a major contractor suspended pipe-laying activities due to the U.S. sanctions.

Russia and Ukraine announced terms of a new gas transit deal on Saturday, under which Moscow will supply Europe for at least another five years via its former Soviet neighbour and pay a $2.

Russia and Ukraine announced terms of a new gas transit deal on Saturday, under which Moscow will supply Europe for at least another five years via its former Soviet neighbour and pay a $2.9 billion settlement to Kiev to end a legal dispute. The deal is a major breakthrough for both countries, which have been seeking to resolve disputes over Ukraine's eastern Donbass region and the Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. Under the new agreement, Russia's Gazprom, which supplies over a third of Europe's gas needs, would use an agent to book the transit of 225 billion cubic metres (bcm) of the fuel via Ukraine over five years. Of the total, 65 bcm would be shipped in 2020, falling to 40 bcm in 2021 and in each of the subsequent years, Gazprom said. The Russian gas company would also pay Ukraine the $2.9 billion before Dec. 29, in line with the amount proposed in arbitration rulings between Gazprom and Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz in 2018. In exchange, Ukraine is expected to sign a legal settlement and withdraw all outstanding claims, also before Dec. 29, aiming to resolve the issue before the existing supply deal expires. Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz had gone to an arbitration court in Stockholm in a number of disputes over gas prices and transit fees dating back to 2014. The presidents of Russia and Ukraine met in Paris on Dec. 9 to discuss options for a settlement over Donbass and terms for the new gas transit deal. The talks, known as the Normandy summit, were brokered by France and Germany. Ukrainian Energy Minister Oleksiy Orzhel said on Saturday that under the new deal both parties had an option to extend the five-year term by another 10 years. He added that the transmission tariff for the Russian gas would rise. The deal comes as U.S. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Friday that included provisions to impose sanctions on companies laying pipe for Nord Stream 2, a project that aims to double gas capacity from Russia along the northern Nord Stream 1 pipeline route to Germany. Nord Stream 2, which will run along the Baltic sea floor, will enable Russia to bypass Ukraine and Poland to deliver gas. The group behind Nord Stream 2 said on Saturday it aimed to complete the pipeline as soon as possible, after a major contractor suspended pipe-laying activities due to the U.S. sanctions.

Russia, Ukraine outline terms for five-year gas transit deal to end row

Putin speaks about Donald Trump's impeachment, Ukraine, presidential term limits & arms race with the U.S.

Gravitas: Putin's annual press conference: Key takeaways

Donald Trump became the third President in American history to be impeached on December 19 night with a majority of Representatives voting in favour of the two articles of impeachment drawn up by House Democrats. The articles charged against the President, accuse him of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, both related to the Ukraine scandal. #US #DonaldTrump #TrumpImpeachment #UkraineScandal

Donald Trump becomes third US President to be impeached

Trump impeachment saga: What you need to know ahead of the vote

As Democrats set to vote on impeaching the US president, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-on-track-to-become-third-us-president-to-be-impeached-268809">Trump in a tweet</a> said he has done nothing wrong, while adding that it was "terrible thing".

"Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the radical Left, do nothing Democrats, and I did nothing wrong! A terrible thing. Read the transcripts," Trump said, adding,"This should never happen to another President again."

Trump had earlier told US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in a letter that "history will judge you harshly." The US president accussed Pelosi of "declaring open war on American Democracy."

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/demonstrators-take-to-the-streets-in-new-york-to-rally-for-trump-impeachment-268920/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

President Trump is only the third US leader to ever be impeached. The US president is accussed of forcing Ukraine into a probe into a main 2020 re-election rival, Joe Biden. The US president is also accused of obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation.

The two articles of impeachment will be voted by the Democrats today. It will then be presented to the Senate in January while the Democrats hold a majority in the House of Representatives, the Republicans are in majority in the Senate.

Richard Nixon had quit office before being impeached in 1974. In 1999, 45 Democratic Senators had stayed united against the 55 Republicans to block a two-thirds vote for conviction against Clinton.

As Democrats set to vote on impeaching the US president, Trump in a tweet said he has done nothing wrong, while adding that it was "terrible thing". "Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the radical Left, do nothing Democrats, and I did nothing wrong!

As Democrats set to vote on impeaching the US president, Trump in a tweet said he has done nothing wrong, while adding that it was "terrible thing". "Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the radical Left, do nothing Democrats, and I did nothing wrong! A terrible thing. Read the transcripts," Trump said, adding,"This should never happen to another President again." Trump had earlier told US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in a letter that "history will judge you harshly." The US president accussed Pelosi of "declaring open war on American Democracy." Watch Video: President Trump is only the third US leader to ever be impeached. The US president is accussed of forcing Ukraine into a probe into a main 2020 re-election rival, Joe Biden. The US president is also accused of obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation. The two articles of impeachment will be voted by the Democrats today. It will then be presented to the Senate in January while the Democrats hold a majority in the House of Representatives, the Republicans are in majority in the Senate. Richard Nixon had quit office before being impeached in 1974. In 1999, 45 Democratic Senators had stayed united against the 55 Republicans to block a two-thirds vote for conviction against Clinton.

I did nothing wrong, says Trump ahead of impeachment vote in US House

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky has ridiculed a Russian TV channel for abruptly cancelling his popular comedy series after one evening, saying the show had its impact on "someone with a nuclear weapon."

Zelensky's "Servant of the People" premiered in Russia on Wednesday evening after a high-profile summit with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But entertainment channel TNT, owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom, on Thursday said it would no longer air the series.

"I am very sorry," the show was scrapped, Zelensky said during a late-night talk show appearance on Thursday evening.

"You know, someone has a nuclear weapon, and someone has Servant of the People," the former comedian said, hinting at the protracted conflict between Ukraine and its former Soviet master Russia.

"They showed two episodes, and now all the people who had the opportunity to watch these two episodes will definitely watch (the rest) on YouTube," he said.

Servant of the People premiered in Ukraine in 2015 starring Zelensky as Vasyl Goloborodko, a history teacher who suddenly becomes president, roots out corruption, and takes on powerful oligarchs.

Zelensky, 41, was inaugurated in May after winning the election over incumbent Petro Poroshenko, capitalising on Ukrainians' despair over mainstream politics, the ongoing war with Kremlin-backed separatists and corruption.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky has ridiculed a Russian TV channel for abruptly cancelling his popular comedy series after one evening, saying the show had its impact on "someone with a nuclear weapon.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky has ridiculed a Russian TV channel for abruptly cancelling his popular comedy series after one evening, saying the show had its impact on "someone with a nuclear weapon." Zelensky's "Servant of the People" premiered in Russia on Wednesday evening after a high-profile summit with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But entertainment channel TNT, owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom, on Thursday said it would no longer air the series. "I am very sorry," the show was scrapped, Zelensky said during a late-night talk show appearance on Thursday evening. "You know, someone has a nuclear weapon, and someone has Servant of the People," the former comedian said, hinting at the protracted conflict between Ukraine and its former Soviet master Russia. "They showed two episodes, and now all the people who had the opportunity to watch these two episodes will definitely watch (the rest) on YouTube," he said. Servant of the People premiered in Ukraine in 2015 starring Zelensky as Vasyl Goloborodko, a history teacher who suddenly becomes president, roots out corruption, and takes on powerful oligarchs. Zelensky, 41, was inaugurated in May after winning the election over incumbent Petro Poroshenko, capitalising on Ukrainians' despair over mainstream politics, the ongoing war with Kremlin-backed separatists and corruption.

Ukraine leader ridicules Russian TV for scrapping his comedy show

The countries full ceasefire to be implemented in eastern Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine to implement a ceasefire

Russia told Britain's Supreme Court on Monday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-zelensky-meet-in-paris-for-summit-amid-push-to-end-ukraine-war-267304">Ukraine</a> should not be allowed to use geopolitical arguments to dispute billions of dollars in debt, after Kiev argued it had been forced to borrow the money from Moscow.

The case, being decided in London because the debt was structured as a $3 billion Eurobond under English law, could see British courts rule on some of the most contentious issues in the Russia-Ukraine feud that has divided Moscow from the West.

The debt was borrowed six years ago by pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich months before he was toppled in a popular uprising. After his fall, Russia seized Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and backed separatists in a war that has killed 13,000 people and brought Western sanctions against Moscow.

The Eurobond, which matured in December 2015, has not been repaid.

Moscow was initially granted a summary judgement that could have seen Ukraine ordered to pay the debt in full. An appeals court accepted Ukraine's arguments that it should not be forced to pay without first being given a chance to challenge the debt in a full trial. But Russia wants that appeal overturned.

"The geopolitical dispute...has nothing to do whatsoever with the enforceability of the notes," Mark Howard, a lawyer acting for Russia, told the five Supreme Court judges.

In court documents prepared for the hearing, Kiev said it was "induced to issue the Eurobonds by overwhelming pressure from Russia's threats to Ukraine's territory, economy and citizens."

Those threats "were born out just months later with the unlawful invasion and occupation of Crimea, and military interference in eastern Ukraine," it said.

Russia's finance ministry said in a statement on Monday it remained confident that Supreme Court would rule in Moscow's favour in the case. Ukraine said it expected a decision in the first half of next year.

Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met Russia's Vladimir Putin for the first time on Monday at a summit in Paris aimed at pushing for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow wants payment in full of the Eurobond, including interest it says, pushes the debt to $4.5 billion. Kiev says Russia should have participated in a 2015 restructuring of its Eurobonds.

The case is one of two major court cases this month being watched by international investors in Ukraine. Hearings are due to begin in Kiev on December&nbsp;19 in the case of the nationalisation of Ukraine's largest commercial bank.

Russia told Britain's Supreme Court on Monday that Ukraine should not be allowed to use geopolitical arguments to dispute billions of dollars in debt, after Kiev argued it had been forced to borrow the money from Moscow.

Russia told Britain's Supreme Court on Monday that Ukraine should not be allowed to use geopolitical arguments to dispute billions of dollars in debt, after Kiev argued it had been forced to borrow the money from Moscow. The case, being decided in London because the debt was structured as a $3 billion Eurobond under English law, could see British courts rule on some of the most contentious issues in the Russia-Ukraine feud that has divided Moscow from the West. The debt was borrowed six years ago by pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich months before he was toppled in a popular uprising. After his fall, Russia seized Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and backed separatists in a war that has killed 13,000 people and brought Western sanctions against Moscow. The Eurobond, which matured in December 2015, has not been repaid. Moscow was initially granted a summary judgement that could have seen Ukraine ordered to pay the debt in full. An appeals court accepted Ukraine's arguments that it should not be forced to pay without first being given a chance to challenge the debt in a full trial. But Russia wants that appeal overturned. "The geopolitical dispute...has nothing to do whatsoever with the enforceability of the notes," Mark Howard, a lawyer acting for Russia, told the five Supreme Court judges. In court documents prepared for the hearing, Kiev said it was "induced to issue the Eurobonds by overwhelming pressure from Russia's threats to Ukraine's territory, economy and citizens." Those threats "were born out just months later with the unlawful invasion and occupation of Crimea, and military interference in eastern Ukraine," it said. Russia's finance ministry said in a statement on Monday it remained confident that Supreme Court would rule in Moscow's favour in the case. Ukraine said it expected a decision in the first half of next year. Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met Russia's Vladimir Putin for the first time on Monday at a summit in Paris aimed at pushing for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Moscow wants payment in full of the Eurobond, including interest it says, pushes the debt to $4.5 billion. Kiev says Russia should have participated in a 2015 restructuring of its Eurobonds. The case is one of two major court cases this month being watched by international investors in Ukraine. Hearings are due to begin in Kiev on December 19 in the case of the nationalisation of Ukraine's largest commercial bank.

Russia tells UK court Ukraine should be forced to pay debt despite disputes

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday met Ukranian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time ever at a Paris <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-praises-europe-defence-spending-boost-as-summit-looms-265274">summit</a> aimed at agreeing to measures to help end five years of conflict in the east of Ukraine.

No comprehensive peace deal is expected from the meeting,&nbsp;mediated by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel,&nbsp;but diplomats hope the summit will help to bolster trust between the two men.

The four-way talks at the Elysee Palace are expected to be followed by a hotly-awaited bilateral between wily ex-KGB agent Putin,&nbsp;in power for two decades,&nbsp;and ex-comedian Zelensky who won the presidency this year. &nbsp;

Thousands have been killed and one million have fled their homes since pro-Russia militias in eastern Ukraine launched a bid for independence in 2014, kicking off a conflict that deepened Russia's estrangement from the West.

Separatists seized control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions shortly after Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.&nbsp;

The issue of Crimea, whose seizure gave Putin a popularity boost at home but led to international sanctions being imposed against Moscow, is not on the table at this summit.

The meeting's aims include agreeing to disband illegal militias, the departure of foreign fighters from Donetsk and Lugansk, and Ukraine taking back control of its border with Russia, according to a French presidential source.

Also key is agreeing to a calendar for local municipal elections to be held in Donetsk and Lugansk under Ukrainian law, with the two regions enjoying special status,&nbsp;an idea known as the Steinmeier Formula.

"If the summit meeting is to be meaningful, it should have a result, and the result should very much be on the Steinmeier Formula," said Gerhard Mangott, professor of international relations at Austria's Innsbruck University.

'Festering wound'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ukraine-seeks-to-require-uk-court-hearings-if-russia-tries-to-enforce-debt-267127">Ukrainian</a> Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko ahead of the meeting reaffirmed his country's key demands of a "total and permanent ceasefire, our control over the borders of a unitary and indivisible state, the disarmament and dismantling of illegal armed groups, local elections in accordance with our legislation." &nbsp;

The Kremlin has sent signals that it is ready to work with Zelensky, whom Putin has described as "likeable" and "sincere".&nbsp;

But the Russian leader also will not want to return empty-handed and will be pushing for an easing of sanctions.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the Funke newspaper group that "we have to do everything we can... to make progress in the Ukrainian peace process", and described the conflict as "a festering wound in Europe".

Maas praised Zelensky for bringing "new momentum" to the talks, adding that "to make progress with the next difficult steps, Russia needs to make a move too".

"There remains the problem of trust between the parties," said the French presidential source, who asked not to be identified by name. "This needs to be created before we can move forward."&nbsp;

Watch: Zelensky and Putin to come face-to-face

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-russia-summit-zelensky-and-putin-to-come-face-to-face-267077/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

'Wound of war'

Monday's summit is the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-leaders-set-to-meet-for-paris-talks-with-bleak-prospects-of-peace-266434">first of its kind in three years</a> and seeks to implement accords signed in Minsk in 2015 that call for the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the restoration of Kiev's control over its borders, wider autonomy for Donetsk and Lugansk, and the holding of local elections.

The summit is a hugely delicate event for everyone involved, but particularly for Zelensky, who is under pressure not to cede ground to the Kremlin.

About 200 demonstrators spent the night in tents outside the Ukrainian president's office, seeking to put pressure on Zelensky not to "capitulate" to his Russian counterpart.

The Ukrainian leader,&nbsp;who came to power after starring in a comedy show about a school teacher who suddenly becomes president, took a realistic tone ahead of the talks.

"I want to come back with concrete results, but we understand that we cannot have everything. The meeting is already a victory. Since 2016, there has been no dialogue."

For Macron, the summit is a centrepiece of an increasingly bold foreign policy he is driving despite troubles at home, where transport workers have been on strike for days in a dispute over pension reforms.

Macron, who shocked NATO allies last month by declaring the alliance brain dead, has made clear his belief that Europe needs a strategic partnership with Russia.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday met Ukranian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time ever at a Paris summit aimed at agreeing to measures to help end five years of conflict in the east of Ukraine.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday met Ukranian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time ever at a Paris summit aimed at agreeing to measures to help end five years of conflict in the east of Ukraine. No comprehensive peace deal is expected from the meeting, mediated by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but diplomats hope the summit will help to bolster trust between the two men. The four-way talks at the Elysee Palace are expected to be followed by a hotly-awaited bilateral between wily ex-KGB agent Putin, in power for two decades, and ex-comedian Zelensky who won the presidency this year. Thousands have been killed and one million have fled their homes since pro-Russia militias in eastern Ukraine launched a bid for independence in 2014, kicking off a conflict that deepened Russia's estrangement from the West. Separatists seized control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions shortly after Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. The issue of Crimea, whose seizure gave Putin a popularity boost at home but led to international sanctions being imposed against Moscow, is not on the table at this summit. The meeting's aims include agreeing to disband illegal militias, the departure of foreign fighters from Donetsk and Lugansk, and Ukraine taking back control of its border with Russia, according to a French presidential source. Also key is agreeing to a calendar for local municipal elections to be held in Donetsk and Lugansk under Ukrainian law, with the two regions enjoying special status, an idea known as the Steinmeier Formula. "If the summit meeting is to be meaningful, it should have a result, and the result should very much be on the Steinmeier Formula," said Gerhard Mangott, professor of international relations at Austria's Innsbruck University. 'Festering wound' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko ahead of the meeting reaffirmed his country's key demands of a "total and permanent ceasefire, our control over the borders of a unitary and indivisible state, the disarmament and dismantling of illegal armed groups, local elections in accordance with our legislation." The Kremlin has sent signals that it is ready to work with Zelensky, whom Putin has described as "likeable" and "sincere". But the Russian leader also will not want to return empty-handed and will be pushing for an easing of sanctions. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the Funke newspaper group that "we have to do everything we can... to make progress in the Ukrainian peace process", and described the conflict as "a festering wound in Europe". Maas praised Zelensky for bringing "new momentum" to the talks, adding that "to make progress with the next difficult steps, Russia needs to make a move too". "There remains the problem of trust between the parties," said the French presidential source, who asked not to be identified by name. "This needs to be created before we can move forward." Watch: Zelensky and Putin to come face-to-face 'Wound of war' Monday's summit is the first of its kind in three years and seeks to implement accords signed in Minsk in 2015 that call for the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the restoration of Kiev's control over its borders, wider autonomy for Donetsk and Lugansk, and the holding of local elections. The summit is a hugely delicate event for everyone involved, but particularly for Zelensky, who is under pressure not to cede ground to the Kremlin. About 200 demonstrators spent the night in tents outside the Ukrainian president's office, seeking to put pressure on Zelensky not to "capitulate" to his Russian counterpart. The Ukrainian leader, who came to power after starring in a comedy show about a school teacher who suddenly becomes president, took a realistic tone ahead of the talks. "I want to come back with concrete results, but we understand that we cannot have everything. The meeting is already a victory. Since 2016, there has been no dialogue." For Macron, the summit is a centrepiece of an increasingly bold foreign policy he is driving despite troubles at home, where transport workers have been on strike for days in a dispute over pension reforms. Macron, who shocked NATO allies last month by declaring the alliance brain dead, has made clear his belief that Europe needs a strategic partnership with Russia.

Putin, Zelensky meet at Paris Summit amid push to end Ukraine war

Zelensky & Putin to come face-to-face as the two leaders will meet after 2016.

Zelensky & Putin to come face-to-face

Democrats gear up for Impeachment hearing today.

Trump Impeachment Saga: What's next for Donald Trump?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-president-zelensky-renews-denial-of-quid-pro-quo-with-us-president-trump-265736">Ukraine</a> will ask the British Supreme Court on Monday not to force it to pay billions of dollars in debt to&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;without a trial that would determine whether Kiev was forced to borrow the money under duress.

The case, being decided in London because the debt was structured as a Eurobond under English law, could see British courts rule on some of the most contentious issues in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-calls-emergency-meeting-over-russia-ukraine-standoff-at-sea-of-azov-179555">Russia-Ukraine</a> feud that has divided Moscow from the West.

The debt was borrowed six years ago by a pro-Russian president months before he was toppled in a popular uprising. Moscow is seeking a summary judgment in its favor that could see Ukraine ordered to pay the debt in full, without a trial.

Ukraine argues that it should not be forced to pay without having a chance to challenge the debt, a position backed by an appeals court in a ruling that&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;now wants the Supreme Court to overturn.

Alex Gerbi, a partner at the firm representing Kiev in the case, said Ukraine would argue that the debt was incurred under duress.

"Russia&nbsp;should have to prove its claim, and justify its conduct, in the full public scrutiny of an English trial,” Gerbi said.

Ukraine has accused&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;of applying “massive, unlawful and illegitimate economic and political pressure to Ukraine in 2013”, forcing the country to accept Moscow’s financial support instead of striking up closer ties with the EU, according to earlier court documents.

Moscow has not commented on the case. A source familiar with the&nbsp;Russian position said&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;would argue that Ukraine's case has no merit and no trial is needed.

The $3 billion bond was borrowed by Ukraine in the final months of the administration of President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-investigates-grenade-attack-on-kiev-tv-station-235589">Viktor Yanukovich</a>, a supporter of close relations with Moscow who was toppled in a public uprising after abandoning a deal on ties with the EU.

Russia&nbsp;responded to Yanukovich's fall by seizing Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and backing separatists in eastern Ukraine in a war which has killed more than 13,000 people. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/china-united-states-relations-and-the-thucydides-trap-192673">United States</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-presses-uk-to-resubmit-brexit-plan-as-end-game-looms-254002">European Union</a> responded to those&nbsp;Russian moves with sanctions against Moscow which have yet to be lifted.

Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is scheduled to meet&nbsp;Russia's Vladimir Putin on Monday to push for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Both countries are also due to renew a gas transit deal a regular source of disagreement between them -- by the end of December.

The Eurobond matured in December 2015 and has not been repaid. Moscow wants payment in full, including interest which could push the debt beyond $4 billion. Kiev says&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;should have participated in a 2015 restructuring of its Eurobonds.

The case is one of two major court cases this month being watched by international investors in Ukraine. Hearings are due to begin in Kiev on December&nbsp;19 in the case of the nationalisation of Ukraine's largest commercial bank.

Ukraine will ask the British Supreme Court on Monday not to force it to pay billions of dollars in debt to Russia without a trial that would determine whether Kiev was forced to borrow the money under duress.

Ukraine will ask the British Supreme Court on Monday not to force it to pay billions of dollars in debt to Russia without a trial that would determine whether Kiev was forced to borrow the money under duress. The case, being decided in London because the debt was structured as a Eurobond under English law, could see British courts rule on some of the most contentious issues in the Russia-Ukraine feud that has divided Moscow from the West. The debt was borrowed six years ago by a pro-Russian president months before he was toppled in a popular uprising. Moscow is seeking a summary judgment in its favor that could see Ukraine ordered to pay the debt in full, without a trial. Ukraine argues that it should not be forced to pay without having a chance to challenge the debt, a position backed by an appeals court in a ruling that Russia now wants the Supreme Court to overturn. Alex Gerbi, a partner at the firm representing Kiev in the case, said Ukraine would argue that the debt was incurred under duress. "Russia should have to prove its claim, and justify its conduct, in the full public scrutiny of an English trial,” Gerbi said. Ukraine has accused Russia of applying “massive, unlawful and illegitimate economic and political pressure to Ukraine in 2013”, forcing the country to accept Moscow’s financial support instead of striking up closer ties with the EU, according to earlier court documents. Moscow has not commented on the case. A source familiar with the Russian position said Russia would argue that Ukraine's case has no merit and no trial is needed. The $3 billion bond was borrowed by Ukraine in the final months of the administration of President Viktor Yanukovich, a supporter of close relations with Moscow who was toppled in a public uprising after abandoning a deal on ties with the EU. Russia responded to Yanukovich's fall by seizing Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and backing separatists in eastern Ukraine in a war which has killed more than 13,000 people. The United States and European Union responded to those Russian moves with sanctions against Moscow which have yet to be lifted. Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is scheduled to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin on Monday to push for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Both countries are also due to renew a gas transit deal a regular source of disagreement between them -- by the end of December. The Eurobond matured in December 2015 and has not been repaid. Moscow wants payment in full, including interest which could push the debt beyond $4 billion. Kiev says Russia should have participated in a 2015 restructuring of its Eurobonds. The case is one of two major court cases this month being watched by international investors in Ukraine. Hearings are due to begin in Kiev on December 19 in the case of the nationalisation of Ukraine's largest commercial bank.

Ukraine seeks to require UK court hearings if Russia tries to enforce debt

Democrats in the US&nbsp;House of Representatives will spend the weekend on Capitol Hill preparing for what could be the final week of their months-old impeachment inquiry that has imperiled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-win-impeachment-fight-us-president-donald-trump-266504">Donald Trump's presidency</a>.

The House Judiciary Committee's Democratic lawmakers are due to meet on Saturday and Sunday behind closed doors to sift through evidence against the Republican president and draft formal charges, known as articles of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-abused-power-us-house-to-draft-impeachment-charges-against-him-nancy-pelosi-266490">impeachment</a>, that the panel could recommend for a full House vote as early as Thursday.

On Friday, the White House told committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler it would not take part in the panel's hearings and condemned the inquiry as "completely baseless."

Nadler expressed disappointment in a statement: "The American people deserve answers from President Trump."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi directed the committee to draw up the charges on Thursday after weeks of investigation into Trump's request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face the president in the 2020 US&nbsp;election.

Passage of formal charges in the Democratic-led House, now seen as all but certain, would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump from office. The Republicans who control the Senate have shown little sign of supporting Trump's removal.

While Trump has refused to cooperate with the House probe, he has made clear his lawyers will mount a defense in a Senate trial, where he believes he will prevail.

The Judiciary Committee is focused on two possible articles of impeachment that would accuse the president of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress for refusing to cooperate with investigating committees.

Democrats also need to settle the question of whether to draft a third article alleging obstruction of justice based on former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the federal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

"That's something that we'll decide this weekend," Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell told reporters on Friday.

The probe has focused on a July 25 telephone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to open an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter, and into a discredited theory promoted by Trump and his allies that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 election.

Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was vice president. Trump has accused the Bidens of corruption. They have denied wrongdoing and the allegations have not been substantiated.

Democrats also have accused Trump of abusing his power by withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine - a vulnerable US&nbsp;ally facing Russian aggression - and holding back a coveted White House meeting with Zelenskiy as leverage to pressure Kiev into investigating the Bidens.

The Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday. Republicans have also called for a full day of proceedings to examine their own evidence, including a 110-page report saying the inquiry had found no evidence of an impeachable offense.

They have presented their own list of requested witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry. Nadler is considered unlikely to call them to testify.

Trump is the fourth US&nbsp;president to face impeachment proceedings. None were removed from office, although Richard Nixon resigned as he faced almost certain impeachment in 1974 over the Watergate scandal. 
&nbsp;

Democrats in the US House of Representatives will spend the weekend on Capitol Hill preparing for what could be the final week of their months-old impeachment inquiry that has imperiled Donald Trump's presidency.

Democrats in the US House of Representatives will spend the weekend on Capitol Hill preparing for what could be the final week of their months-old impeachment inquiry that has imperiled Donald Trump's presidency. The House Judiciary Committee's Democratic lawmakers are due to meet on Saturday and Sunday behind closed doors to sift through evidence against the Republican president and draft formal charges, known as articles of impeachment, that the panel could recommend for a full House vote as early as Thursday. On Friday, the White House told committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler it would not take part in the panel's hearings and condemned the inquiry as "completely baseless." Nadler expressed disappointment in a statement: "The American people deserve answers from President Trump." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi directed the committee to draw up the charges on Thursday after weeks of investigation into Trump's request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face the president in the 2020 US election. Passage of formal charges in the Democratic-led House, now seen as all but certain, would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump from office. The Republicans who control the Senate have shown little sign of supporting Trump's removal. While Trump has refused to cooperate with the House probe, he has made clear his lawyers will mount a defense in a Senate trial, where he believes he will prevail. The Judiciary Committee is focused on two possible articles of impeachment that would accuse the president of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress for refusing to cooperate with investigating committees. Democrats also need to settle the question of whether to draft a third article alleging obstruction of justice based on former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the federal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. "That's something that we'll decide this weekend," Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell told reporters on Friday. The probe has focused on a July 25 telephone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to open an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter, and into a discredited theory promoted by Trump and his allies that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 election. Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was vice president. Trump has accused the Bidens of corruption. They have denied wrongdoing and the allegations have not been substantiated. Democrats also have accused Trump of abusing his power by withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine - a vulnerable US ally facing Russian aggression - and holding back a coveted White House meeting with Zelenskiy as leverage to pressure Kiev into investigating the Bidens. The Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday. Republicans have also called for a full day of proceedings to examine their own evidence, including a 110-page report saying the inquiry had found no evidence of an impeachable offense. They have presented their own list of requested witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry. Nadler is considered unlikely to call them to testify. Trump is the fourth US president to face impeachment proceedings. None were removed from office, although Richard Nixon resigned as he faced almost certain impeachment in 1974 over the Watergate scandal.

Democrats to spend weekend drafting impeachment charges against Donald Trump

President Donald&nbsp;Trump's personal&nbsp;lawyer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-row-according-to-call-records-nunes-had-frequent-contact-with-giuliani-266054">Rudy&nbsp;Giuliani</a>&nbsp;returned to&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;Wednesday, shrugging off the scandal over seeking dirt from Kiev on rival Democrats.

The New York Times said&nbsp;Giuliani&nbsp;had travelled to Budapest on Tuesday and Kiev Wednesday to speak with former Ukrainian prosecutors who could have information that would support&nbsp;Trump's battle against&nbsp;impeachment.

One America News Network also said it had a camera team travelling with&nbsp;Giuliani&nbsp;in&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;for an investigation into the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-willing-to-compromise-us-security-impeachment-hearing-chair-266274">impeachment&nbsp;case</a> against&nbsp;Trump.

In a tweet,&nbsp;Giuliani&nbsp;wrote that he was "working on an important project with @OANN," aimed at exposing what he said was information covered up by hearings conducted by Democratic Party&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;chief Adam Schiff.&nbsp;

According to the Times,&nbsp;Giuliani, who is the former mayor of New York, was meeting with former Ukrainian prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, a central figure in the&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;case Democrats are building against&nbsp;Trump.

He was also planning to meet with two other ex-prosecutors, Viktor Shokin and Kostiantyn Kulyk.

Giuliani&nbsp;has approached all three over the past year to aid&nbsp;Trump's effort to find dirt on Democrats, especially former vice president Joe Biden, who could face the president in next year's election.

Democrats are preparing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-accuses-impeachment-witness-of-lying-defends-use-of-giuliani-264142">impeachment&nbsp;charges</a> against&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;on the grounds that he, with&nbsp;Giuliani's assistance, solicited foreign interference in US elections for his personal needs.

Giuliani&nbsp;has sought to demonstrate that Biden and his son Hunter, who previously served on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma, had been engaged corruptly in the country.

Giuliani&nbsp;is also reportedly under investigation for his representation of multiple Ukrainian figures, including Dmitry Firtash, a billionaire facing extradition to the United States from Austria for charges of bribery and racketeering.

President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani returned to Ukraine Wednesday, shrugging off the scandal over seeking dirt from Kiev on rival Democrats. The New York Times said Giuliani had travelled to Budapest on Tuesday and Kiev Wednesday to speak with former Ukrainian prosecutors who could have information that would support Trump's battle against impeachment.

President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani returned to Ukraine Wednesday, shrugging off the scandal over seeking dirt from Kiev on rival Democrats. The New York Times said Giuliani had travelled to Budapest on Tuesday and Kiev Wednesday to speak with former Ukrainian prosecutors who could have information that would support Trump's battle against impeachment. One America News Network also said it had a camera team travelling with Giuliani in Ukraine for an investigation into the impeachment case against Trump. In a tweet, Giuliani wrote that he was "working on an important project with @OANN," aimed at exposing what he said was information covered up by hearings conducted by Democratic Party impeachment chief Adam Schiff. According to the Times, Giuliani, who is the former mayor of New York, was meeting with former Ukrainian prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, a central figure in the impeachment case Democrats are building against Trump. He was also planning to meet with two other ex-prosecutors, Viktor Shokin and Kostiantyn Kulyk. Giuliani has approached all three over the past year to aid Trump's effort to find dirt on Democrats, especially former vice president Joe Biden, who could face the president in next year's election. Democrats are preparing impeachment charges against Trump on the grounds that he, with Giuliani's assistance, solicited foreign interference in US elections for his personal needs. Giuliani has sought to demonstrate that Biden and his son Hunter, who previously served on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma, had been engaged corruptly in the country. Giuliani is also reportedly under investigation for his representation of multiple Ukrainian figures, including Dmitry Firtash, a billionaire facing extradition to the United States from Austria for charges of bribery and racketeering.

Trump's lawyer Giuliani back in Ukraine as impeachment probe escalates

Ukrainian and Russian leaders will try to seal a ceasefire in eastern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-lawyer-giuliani-back-in-ukraine-as-impeachment-probe-escalates-266286">Ukraine</a> and agree on prisoner swaps when they meet next week, but with Kiev politically constrained and Moscow unlikely to bend, the prospects for peace remain bleak, diplomats said.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-encyclopaedia-to-replace-wikipedia-in-putins-expensive-attempt-to-curb-fake-news-266106">Vladimir Putin</a> hold their first face-to-face talks on December&nbsp;9 in Paris with the French and German leaders more than three years since the countries' heads of state last met. It comes after a slight easing of tensions.

Over 13,000 people have been killed in the more than five-year-old conflict in east Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces. There has been little sign of a peaceful solution despite a ceasefire agreement signed in February 2015 in Minsk.

Zelenskiy won a landslide election victory in April promising to end the simmering conflict, but facing pressure from his opposition, he is wary of conceding too much to Moscow.

"If we start discussing the real political, military and security issues, namely, withdrawal of some troops on the line of contact, the question of local elections and the status of Donbass region, you see that the two leaders don't have a lot of room for manoeuvre," said a senior French diplomat.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, which prompted Western sanctions.

Key to the accords are elections in Donbass, but both sides accuse each other of failing to stick to the deal, which also includes restoring Kiev’s control over the whole border with Russia and the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the conflict zone.

"Our main expectation for #NormandySummit and any other formats is what I call #RUxit - we want Russiа and Russian forces to leave Ukraine," Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Twitter on Tuesday.

Vladimir Frolov, a former senior Russian diplomat, said he saw little chance of a major breakthrough in Paris describing the positions as irreconcilable.

"Zelenskiy is going to hit two walls, one in Paris and one afterwards - the wall of Russian intransigence and the wall of Ukrainian public unwillingness to endorse humiliating compromises with Russia," Frolov said.

"Moscow does not care about sanctions relief, it cares about meeting its strategic objectives in Ukraine ... and a confederate Ukrainian state that Kiev does not fully control," he said.

Calling it a test barometer to see where both sides stood, another French diplomat said progress on a ceasefire and prisoner swaps would be a good basis to move forward.

The summit also comes within the wider context of Europe's relations with Russia. French President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/unions-protest-in-paris-against-macrons-pension-reform-266405">Emmanuel Macron</a> has sought a reset with Moscow, something that has unnerved eastern European Union partners.

"It can't just be about Ukraine. It has to be about the Russia-West-US&nbsp;conflict otherwise the Russians don't have the incentives to resolve things because Ukraine is too valuable a chip," said a former senior US&nbsp;official.

Ukrainian and Russian leaders will try to seal a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and agree on prisoner swaps when they meet next week, but with Kiev politically constrained and Moscow unlikely to bend, the prospects for peace remain bleak, diplomats said.

Ukrainian and Russian leaders will try to seal a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and agree on prisoner swaps when they meet next week, but with Kiev politically constrained and Moscow unlikely to bend, the prospects for peace remain bleak, diplomats said. Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin hold their first face-to-face talks on December 9 in Paris with the French and German leaders more than three years since the countries' heads of state last met. It comes after a slight easing of tensions. Over 13,000 people have been killed in the more than five-year-old conflict in east Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces. There has been little sign of a peaceful solution despite a ceasefire agreement signed in February 2015 in Minsk. Zelenskiy won a landslide election victory in April promising to end the simmering conflict, but facing pressure from his opposition, he is wary of conceding too much to Moscow. "If we start discussing the real political, military and security issues, namely, withdrawal of some troops on the line of contact, the question of local elections and the status of Donbass region, you see that the two leaders don't have a lot of room for manoeuvre," said a senior French diplomat. Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, which prompted Western sanctions. Key to the accords are elections in Donbass, but both sides accuse each other of failing to stick to the deal, which also includes restoring Kiev’s control over the whole border with Russia and the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the conflict zone. "Our main expectation for #NormandySummit and any other formats is what I call #RUxit - we want Russiа and Russian forces to leave Ukraine," Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Twitter on Tuesday. Vladimir Frolov, a former senior Russian diplomat, said he saw little chance of a major breakthrough in Paris describing the positions as irreconcilable. "Zelenskiy is going to hit two walls, one in Paris and one afterwards - the wall of Russian intransigence and the wall of Ukrainian public unwillingness to endorse humiliating compromises with Russia," Frolov said. "Moscow does not care about sanctions relief, it cares about meeting its strategic objectives in Ukraine ... and a confederate Ukrainian state that Kiev does not fully control," he said. Calling it a test barometer to see where both sides stood, another French diplomat said progress on a ceasefire and prisoner swaps would be a good basis to move forward. The summit also comes within the wider context of Europe's relations with Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron has sought a reset with Moscow, something that has unnerved eastern European Union partners. "It can't just be about Ukraine. It has to be about the Russia-West-US conflict otherwise the Russians don't have the incentives to resolve things because Ukraine is too valuable a chip," said a former senior US official.

Ukraine, Russia leaders set to meet for Paris talks with bleak prospects of peace

Public opinion always fractures along party lines when it comes to President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-row-according-to-call-records-nunes-had-frequent-contact-with-giuliani-266054">Donald Trump</a>, and the congressional impeachment inquiry into whether he abused his office for personal political gain in his handling of Ukraine has done little to change that.

While most Democrats want to see him impeached, most Republicans do not. And the televised hearings last month that were meant to build public support for impeachment appear to have pushed the two sides further apart. With Democrats and Republicans increasingly dug in, the balance may shift according to the feelings of those few Americans who do not favor either party and are nearly evenly split on impeachment: political independents.

Here is what Americans have said about the impeachment inquiry over the past year, according to polling by Reuters/Ipsos:

Most Americans believe the kind of thing that Trump is accused of using his power to unfairly attack a political rival is common in US&nbsp;politics. Yet they differ on what to do with those officials who are caught.

While eight out of 10 Democrats think they should be removed, Republicans are much more likely to argue to keep them in office. Only five out of 10 Republicans think elected officials should be removed if they use the power of their office to attack a rival. And that support plunges to one in 10 when Republicans are asked about a US&nbsp;president, not just an elected official, who leverages the office for personal gain.

Independents are in the middle. While a majority share the Democrats’ stance on removing elected officials who improperly use the power of their position, independents are much more lenient on presidents.

A majority of independents oppose an impeachment inquiry for anything short of outright lawbreaking by the president.

Eight in 10 said they oppose an inquiry for a president who uses the office to do something that is unethical “but not strictly illegal” and seven in 10 opposed an inquiry for a president who uses the office to get an unfair political advantage.

Six in 10 independents said an inquiry was justified for a president who breaks the law, and four in 10 said it was not.

Independents generally lean toward supporting the congressional inquiry. Yet many are skeptical of the Democrat-led proceedings in the House, and they may sour on the entire process if it slows down other business in Washington.

About four in 10 independents say they think the congressional impeachment inquiry is not being conducted fairly.

And more than six in 10 said that Congress should “focus on fixing important problems facing Americans, rather than focusing on investigating President Trump.”

Support for impeachment is generally higher now than it was earlier in 2019.

However, Democrats are responsible for much of the increase. Republicans continue to be mostly opposed and independents are split.

The latest poll, conducted November&nbsp;25-26, found that 47 per cent&nbsp;of Americans supported impeachment, including eight in 10 Democrats, one in 10 Republicans and four in 10 independents. It also found that 40 per cent&nbsp;of Americans opposed impeachment, including one in 10 Democrats, eight in 10 Republicans and five in 10 independents.

Public opinion always fractures along party lines when it comes to President Donald Trump, and the congressional impeachment inquiry into whether he abused his office for personal political gain in his handling of Ukraine has done little to change that.

Public opinion always fractures along party lines when it comes to President Donald Trump, and the congressional impeachment inquiry into whether he abused his office for personal political gain in his handling of Ukraine has done little to change that. While most Democrats want to see him impeached, most Republicans do not. And the televised hearings last month that were meant to build public support for impeachment appear to have pushed the two sides further apart. With Democrats and Republicans increasingly dug in, the balance may shift according to the feelings of those few Americans who do not favor either party and are nearly evenly split on impeachment: political independents. Here is what Americans have said about the impeachment inquiry over the past year, according to polling by Reuters/Ipsos: Most Americans believe the kind of thing that Trump is accused of using his power to unfairly attack a political rival is common in US politics. Yet they differ on what to do with those officials who are caught. While eight out of 10 Democrats think they should be removed, Republicans are much more likely to argue to keep them in office. Only five out of 10 Republicans think elected officials should be removed if they use the power of their office to attack a rival. And that support plunges to one in 10 when Republicans are asked about a US president, not just an elected official, who leverages the office for personal gain. Independents are in the middle. While a majority share the Democrats’ stance on removing elected officials who improperly use the power of their position, independents are much more lenient on presidents. A majority of independents oppose an impeachment inquiry for anything short of outright lawbreaking by the president. Eight in 10 said they oppose an inquiry for a president who uses the office to do something that is unethical “but not strictly illegal” and seven in 10 opposed an inquiry for a president who uses the office to get an unfair political advantage. Six in 10 independents said an inquiry was justified for a president who breaks the law, and four in 10 said it was not. Independents generally lean toward supporting the congressional inquiry. Yet many are skeptical of the Democrat-led proceedings in the House, and they may sour on the entire process if it slows down other business in Washington. About four in 10 independents say they think the congressional impeachment inquiry is not being conducted fairly. And more than six in 10 said that Congress should “focus on fixing important problems facing Americans, rather than focusing on investigating President Trump.” Support for impeachment is generally higher now than it was earlier in 2019. However, Democrats are responsible for much of the increase. Republicans continue to be mostly opposed and independents are split. The latest poll, conducted November 25-26, found that 47 per cent of Americans supported impeachment, including eight in 10 Democrats, one in 10 Republicans and four in 10 independents. It also found that 40 per cent of Americans opposed impeachment, including one in 10 Democrats, eight in 10 Republicans and five in 10 independents.

How US public opinion has evolved on impeachment of Trump

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