European Union Ready to Answer Russian Questions on South Stream

The coming trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the European Union could also touch on the South Stream project. 

The European Union did indeed confirm in a statement that the trilateral talks will take place in Berlin on September 26, and, according to several reports, the parts will also speak about the pipeline. 

European officials reportedly said that they would be ready to discuss the project if the Russian side rose the issue. However, according to European officials, the current arm-wrestling between Russia and Ukraine will remain the main topic. 

In preparation for the meeting, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin held a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council of Russia. 

‘The meeting discussed implementation of the peace plan to resolve the situation in southeast Ukraine, including carrying out the points set out in Putin’s Plan,’ reads the note released on Monday.

On the other side, European leaders welcomed the implementation of the ceasefire in Ukraine and endorsed Kiev’s attempts. 

‘We take good note of the fact that the ceasefire has so far resulted in a significant decrease in the level of violence, the ongoing release of hostages, and the adoption by the Ukrainian Parliament on Tuesday of laws on amnesty and interim self-governance status for certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk, in view of the implementation of key points of the Minsk Protocol of 5 September, the European Union External Action wrote on Sunday. 

In this backdrop, if the situation in Ukraine is possibly going toward a progressive stabilisation, the confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is increasingly alarming. 

According to Azernews, Azerbaijani troops accomplished one of the largest military drills in the country, while military forces of Turkey took part in the exercises.