A recent sociological poll revealed that Ukrainians are gradually losing optimism about joining NATO and the European Union.

Italy has poised itself to be the catalyst that could resolve the crisis over Ukraine, following the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, which Putin described as "productive".

Ukrainian officials have announced the creation of a special 'Crimean' police force, set to operate inside Ukraine. The move is part of a series of odd initiatives taken over the last year-and-a-half which put the Ukrainian government into the league of countries which establish phantom departments responsible for territories they do not control.

Extinguishing the fire by adding fuel to it is the height of irresponsibility to all peoples of Europe, Head of Russia's Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev says

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko had announced that the 2013 loan from Russia was "a bribe" to his ousted predecessor Viktor Yanukovych which he "took in exchange for his refusal to sign the EU Association Agreement."

By bringing NATO’s infrastructures closers to Russia’s borders the West is literally forcing Russia into taking military-technical measures for repelling a hypothetical act of aggression, polled experts have told TASS.

Kiev acknowledges its $3-billion loan from Russia, which President Poroshenko has called "a bribe" to his ousted predecessor Viktor Yanukovych, which he "took in exchange for his refusal to sign the EU Association Agreement"; however, Ukraine's government is still struggling to restructure it.

Commenting on the Polish Defense Ministry's recent statements that it is holding talks with the US on the stationing of military warehouses in Poland, Vice Admiral and politician Marek Toczek told Sputnik that such a move would not increase Polish national security, and would result only in a further escalation of tensions between NATO and Russia.

Speaking with Radio Sputnik, Israeli political analyst Avigdor Eskin noted that he couldn't help noticing that even though the Russian president was not invited to participate in the G7 Summit last week, Western leaders could not stop talking about him all throughout the affair.

Chief of Staff to the Secretary General Susan Malcorra said that divisions within UNSC make it nearly impossible for the United Nations to constructively resolve the crisis in Ukraine.