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WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signaled on Wednesday that the United States could back away from the Minsk agreement to end fighting in Ukraine, telling a congressional hearing the Trump administration does not want to be "handcuffed."

Tillerson said it was possible that the Ukrainian government could come to an agreement with Moscow outside the structure of the 2015 accord.

"I think it is important that we be given sufficient flexibility to achieve the Minsk objectives. It is very possible that the government of Ukraine and the government of Russia could come to a satisfactory resolution through some structure other than Minsk," Tillerson told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"My caution is I wouldn't want to have ourselves handcuffed to Minsk if it turns out the parties decide to settle this through another, a different, agreement," he said.

The Minsk peace agreement, brokered by France and Germany and signed by Russia and Ukraine in February 2015, calls for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line and constitutional reform to give eastern Ukraine more autonomy.

As Washington focuses on potential Trump administration ties to Russia, lawmakers have been insisting that no sanctions on Russia be lifted until it complies with the agreement.

Tillerson was responding to Representative Eliot Engel, the committee's ranking Democrat, who asked if it was in the U.S. interest to relax sanctions on Russia before it fully complied.

Engel said the approach suggested by Tillerson would send the wrong signal to Russia.

"If they think that we're somehow willing to relax the sanctions on them before they've complied with the Minsk framework and left Crimea, I think it just will encourage Putin to continue his bullying," Engel said.

"And who knows where he'll strike next."

Tillerson spoke at a wide-ranging budget hearing in which he also discussed Trump's China policy and said he expected the administration to complete a review of Afghan policy in the coming weeks.

Many members of the U.S. Congress, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, disagree sharply with his proposal to slash foreign aid and spending on diplomacy.

Trump, who wants sharp increases in military spending, sees the proposed cuts as a way to help balance the budget. His critics say such that approach would pose a threat to the country's security by weakening so-called "soft power" programs that win international support.

(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Cynthia Osterman)

WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out on Thursday after a report that he was under investigation for possible obstruction of justice and he dismissed as "phony" the idea his campaign colluded with any Russian effort to sway the 2016 U.S. election.

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Friday will tighten rules on Americans traveling to Cuba and significantly restrict U.S. companies from doing business with Cuban enterprises controlled by the military, according to U.S. officials who have seen a draft presidential memorandum.

Originally posted here:
US doesn't want to be 'handcuffed' to Ukraine agreement - Reuters

KYIV -- A Belarusian man who was one of the first protesters killed during the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv in 2014 has been posthumously awarded a Hero of Ukraine medal.

President Petro Poroshenko handed the medal to Mikhail Zhyzneuski's parents in Kyiv on June 13, making him the first foreigner awarded the high honor.

Poroshenko thanked the parents for raising a man he hailed as "a hero who was a great Belarusian and a great Ukrainian in his heart."

"He gave his life for our and your liberty," Poroshenko said at the ceremony.

The protests erupted late in 2013, after President Viktor Yanukovych scrapped plans for a landmark pact with the European Union and vowed to strengthen trade ties with Russia instead.

Zhyzneuski and another protester Serhiy Nihoyan, a Ukrainian of Armenian origin, were shot dead in central Kyiv on January 22, 2014.

A third protester, Roman Senyk, was severely wounded that day and died three days later.

As the number of protesters shot by snipers or killed in clashes with police grew, the victims became known as the Heavenly Hundred.

Yanukovych abandoned power in February 2014 in the face of mounting protests and fled to Russia, while a Western-oriented government was ushered in in Kyiv.

Russia reacted by seizing the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine and fomenting anti-Kyiv unrest in eastern Ukraine, where the ensuing war between Russia-backed separatists and government forces has killed more than 10,000 people.

Zhyzneuski's mother, Nina Zhyzneuskaya, told RFE/RL that the award was important to her and her husband and gave them a sense of "closure."

Read more from the original source:
Belarusian Killed On Kyiv's Maidan Honored As Hero Of Ukraine - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

By:UNHCR staff in Stanytsia Luhanska, Ukraine |14 June 2017

Mykola Ivanovych, who worked as a bus driver for 54 years, must present himself at the state-run bank in Stanytsia Luhanska, which checks his identity to allow him to receive his monthly payment of USD$53.

Inside the bank, he waits patiently while his wife joins the queue to carry out the verification process.

Mykola Ivanovych, who is his 70s, suffered two strokes after his son was killed by an artillery shell in 2014 the first year of the Ukraine conflict, which has cost nearly 10,000 lives.

For hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled people in the conflict-torn Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, the state pension is their only means of support. However, some 160,000 retired people lost this income after the government limited access to state pensions for residents of the area outside its control in December 2014.

Further restrictive measures introduced last year led to an additional 400,000 peoplelosing access to their pensions.

Currently, people livingin non-government controlled areas are required to register as internally displaced persons with the Ukrainian authorities in order to continue to access their rightful pension benefits.

Pensions are an acquired right of all citizens and should not be connected to their IDP registration.

Payment of pensions should be resumed to all retired people, regardless of their place of residence, whether they are registered as IDPs (internally displaced persons) or reside at their homes, said Pablo Mateu, UNHCR representative in Ukraine. Pensions are an acquired right of all citizens and should not be connected to their IDP registration and the fact of displacement.

Olena Grekova, head of the Severodonetsk-based office of Right to Protection, a UNHCR partner NGO that helps internally displaced persons in Ukraine, said many bedridden people had received no pension payments since the start of the conflict because they were unable to travel to government offices for identification.

People who live in the conflict-torn Donbas region of eastern Ukraine cross a damaged bridge into government-controlled territory so that they can receive their pension. OSCE SMM/Evgeniy Maloletka

Some have lost their payments because of mistakes. Tetiana Kovalenko, 83, had to leave the city of Donetsk after her house was bombed. Since 2015, she has lived in government-controlled Myrnograd and is registered as an internally displaced person..

Kovalenko, a former mine worker, stopped receiving her pension of USD$73 per month in April after the social security service decided that she lives in non-government-controlled territory.

This is my pension, which I earned. Why do I have to feel like a second-rate person?

Another woman, Olga Burkalo, 38, who has suffered from a severe form of diabetes since the age of 11, has up to 10 injections of insulin daily and needs her pension of USD$50 per month to pay for her treatment.

Tetiana Kovalenko, 83, fled Donetsk city after her house was bombed. Since 2015, she has lived in Myrnograd and is registered as an internally displaced person. In April, she stopped receiving her pension. UNHCR/David Gasparyan

Social security inspectors visited her in December and March to check if she lives at her address in government-controlled Selidove. In February, she underwent an identification process at a bank.

However, in April she stopped receiving her pension. She was mistakenly suspected of living in non-government controlled territory when, in fact, she had not been there for more than a year.

Burkalo, who trained as a biology teacher, is now too weak to work.

I used to work, I paid taxes, she said. This is my pension, which I earned. Why do I have to feel like a second-rate person?

* Surname withheld for protection reasons

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Thousands in eastern Ukraine lose access to pensions - UNHCR

( CNN ) It's one of the biggest countries in Europe, but even when it isn't hosting the annual song spectacle that is the Eurovision Song Contest, Ukraine struggles to attract visitors.

Recent political, territorial and economic difficulties have done little to burnish the image of a former Soviet nation struggling to find its identity between Russian and western European influences.

Nevertheless, Ukraine is home to a host of beautiful places with a great range of tourist activities. And while some regions are advised as off-limits due to separatist clashes, most of this vast country is open for business.

Vibrant cities, ancient castles, stunning countryside, diversity of landscapes and a welcoming attitude all help make it a special destination, regardless of its troubles.

The lack of mass tourism lends Ukraine a charm and authenticity often missing elsewhere.

Here are 11 places that will make you fall in love with this eastern European country.

The Black Stone House, built in 1588, is one of Lviv's most famous buildings.

Seen as Ukraine's cultural capital, Lviv has the most western architecture of all the country's cities.

It boasts a splendid UNESCO-protected Old Town renowned for beautiful narrow streets, magnificent churches, fascinating museums and charming atmosphere.

It's cozy and welcoming, offering a wide range of themed restaurants, cool bars and great nightlife.

No matter the season, it's popular with Ukrainians who come here for a weekend to feel the Old Town vibes.

Nicknamed Little Vienna for the rich Austro-Hungarian architectural heritage, Chernivtsi is one of the gems of western Ukraine.

Lovers of Art Nouveau architecture can explore the elegant frescoes and beautiful interiors of the Chernivtsi Museum of Art (Teatralna Square, 10, Chernivtsi; +380 3722 26071).

With a history of multiculturalism and constantly changing jurisdictions, the city is one of the most interesting destinations in the country.

It was founded by Polish noble Stanisaw Potocki as a birthday gift to his wife Sofia.

The extensive park is home to waterfalls, lakes, statues, fountains, antique grottoes and artificial ruins, and is a perfect place to enjoy a relaxing walk surrounded by natural beauty.

Ukraine extra: Another picturesque example of 18th-century landscape design is Olexandriya Park in Bila Tserkva, a small town near Kiev.

Kiev, Ukraine's capital, is a vibrant destination filled with golden-domed churches.

Golden domes of superb churches, a long and rich history, eclectic architecture and nonstop city life make Kiev a go-to spot for all travelers visiting Ukraine.

There's also the Andriyivskyy Descent -- a steep and historic street paved with cobblestones -- and the awe-inspiring and gargoyle-smothered Art Nouveau-style House with chimaeras.

Ukraine extra: A good authentic local street snack is perepichka -- a fried bun with sausage inside. It's served from the window on Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street, easily recognized by the long line (Kyivska Perepichka, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St, 3, Kiev).

This charming little destination in the western Zakarpattia region has a compact old town full of Austro-Hungarian architecture overlooked by the impressive castle that stands on a nearby hill.

Once one of the most important fortresses in the kingdom of Hungary, Palanok Castle is now a highlight of Ukrainian tourism.

Mukacheve is also a great starting point for exploring the natural wonders of the Carpathian mountains, including Synevir Lake and picturesque Shypit waterfall.

Ukraine extra: Dessert with a coffee at Bondarenko Confectionery House will complete any Mukacheve experience. (Dostoyevskoho St, 11, Mukacheve)

Often referred to as the City of Museums, Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi, about 50 miles southwest of Kiev, is home to no fewer than 24 venues hosting a wide variety of artifacts.

Among them are the Museum of Bread, the Museum of Rushnyk (traditional Ukrainian ritual cloth), the Museum of Space and the Museum of Ukrainian National Dress.

But the most impressive of them all is a large open-air Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life exhibiting unique objects from ancient times until the beginning of the 20th century.

Ukraine extra: Across the mighty Dnieper River that divides east and west Ukraine sits the little city of Kaniv.

Here can be found the Shevchenko National Reserve, devoted to one of the greatest Ukrainian writers Taras Shevchenko. The hills of the reserve offer breathtaking views over the river.

The Mirror Stream is a UNESCO-protected site in Kharkiv surrounded by a picturesque park.

Once the capital of Ukraine and now its second city, Kharkiv is a city of students who drive the thriving restaurant and bar scene.

There are enough museums and culture to make Kharkiv an interesting eastern Ukrainian destination.

Freedom Square is one of the largest squares in Europe, while the Derzhprom building is one of the most famous examples of constructivist architecture.

Completed in 1928, it was the most spacious single structure in the world at the time.

Chernihiv is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, and was once a prospering and important center of medieval Kievan Rus, the first East Slavic state.

There are unique examples of medieval Slavic ecclesiastical architecture, and one of the oldest churches in Ukraine -- the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was completed in the 11th century and features stunning frescoes and ancient interiors.

Chernihiv is home to a third of all the eastern European historic landmarks period before the Mongol invasion.

Ukraine extra: One of the best places to try varenyky (traditional Ukrainian filled dumplings) is the Varenychna restaurant.

The 18th-century Kachanivka Palace is a popular excursion from either Chernihiv or Kyiv. It's a beautiful neoclassical mansion surrounded by well-preserved English gardens with a lake and artificial antique ruins.

Varenychna, Myru Ave, 21, Chernihiv, Ukraine

Odessa celebrates the Humorina Carnival, or festival of humor, each year on April 1.

As one of Ukraine's largest seaports and trade hubs with a beautiful historic district, Odessa has plenty of treasures waiting to be discovered.

The central part of the city is packed with sights, while architecture lovers can admire the splendid palaces and unique blend of building styles.

For sea enthusiasts, Odessa offers kilometers of Black Sea beaches and lots of entertainment both during the day and night.

This little city right on the border with Slovakia has belonged to five different countries in the last 100 years.

Its historical affiliations can be seen throughout Uzhhorod's central district where you'll find Czech functionalist buildings standing next to classical Hungarian mansions, or Russian Orthodox, Catholic and Greek-Catholic churches in close proximity.

Uzhhorod is the vibrant hub of the Zakarpattia region and the gateway to the Carpathian mountains, easily reached from the major central European cities.

For spectacular views and cozy old-town vibes, Kamianets-Podilskyi is worth further exploration.

This little town in the western part of the country has one of the most breathtaking fortresses in eastern Europe. It stands majestically on an island surrounded by a canyon and encircled by the Smotrych River. Apart from the castle, Kamianets-Podilskyi is famous for the festival of hot-air balloons that is usually held in the late spring.

Original post:
Ukraine: 11 best places to visit - CNN

Overview

Despite daily hostilities along the contact line, over one million individual crossings through all five operational Exit/Entrance Checkpoints (EECPs) were recorded in May. This is the highest number recorded since late 2015, representing a 38 per cent increase comparing to the same period of 2016. The trend is largely characterized by continuation of the mandatory verification processes of IDPs and pensioners residing in non-Government controlled areas (NGCA) to claim their benefits in the Government-controlled areas (GCA). At the same time, seasonal holidays in the first half of the month have also contributed to such increase in crossings. At times, capacities of these checkpoints to facilitate the increased number of crossings were exhausted, which meant that people had to wait long hours, often in harsh conditions with limited access to basic service facilities. With rising summer temperatures, conditions of people waiting, especially the most vulnerable, including the elderly, start to aggravate, as long waiting hours impact their health. Challenges remain in upgrading the conditions of the EECPs to ensure safe and dignified environment despite continuous efforts by humanitarian partners. These multifaceted challenges also further exacerbate protection concerns. In addition, people waiting at all EECPs continue to expose themselves to fatal risks as a result of ongoing combat activities in and around the checkpoints. At least two cases of shelling were recorded in May alone near Hnutove and Marinka EECPs during the operational hours, resulting in a temporary suspension of operations. However, the introduction of extended (summer) operations of all EECPs by 1.5 hours is a welcome development. As of 1 June 2017, all EECPs will be open from 06:00 till 20:00 hrs.

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Ukraine: Checkpoints - Humanitarian Snapshot (as of 13 June 2017) - ReliefWeb