Free Republic

Opportunities for the West to hurt the Russian economy are limited, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Europe cannot stop buying Russian gas without inflicting pain on itself, and if the US tries to lower oil prices, the dollar will suffer. If the West tries to damage Russia’s influence in the world energy market, efforts will likely backfire, the Russian President said during his twelfth annual televised question and answer session. To really influence the world oil market a country would need to increase production and cut prices, which currently only Saudi Arabia could afford, Putin said. The president added he...

First Sign That Geneva Discussions are Making Progress The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, the U.S. and the European Union are working on a joint statement, in a sign that talks in Geneva may have made progress, according to two officials involved in the talks on Thursday. Both officials said it wasn't yet clear whether a joint statement would eventually be agreed among all four governments. No details were immediately available. Thursday's meeting, which started late morning in Geneva, is the highest-level direct talks between Moscow and Kiev since Russia's annexation of Crimea.