Mediaboss Marketing

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart during an upcoming visit to Israel next month, after a previously scheduled visit was nixed in protest over Kievs support for a UN Security Council resolution against Israeli settlements, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

Volodymyr Groysman, who became Ukraines first Jewish prime minister last year, will arrive for a two-day visit in Israel on May 14, in what Hebrew media reports said will mark a formal end to the tensions between Jerusalem and Kiev.

The Ukrainian prime minister was originally scheduled to arrive in Israel for a two-day visit in December, that was set to include meetings with Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin and other top officials.

However, after Ukraine voted in favor of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 in late December, which labeled Israeli settlements as having no legal validity and a flagrant violation under international law, Jerusalem disinvited Groysman to protest Kievs support for the resolution, which Israel denounced as shameful.

Following the cancellation of Groysmans visit, Ukraine reacted angrily to the slight by summoning Israels ambassador, Eli Belotserkovsky, to the Foreign Ministry in Kiev for a dressing-down.

However, a February phone call between Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko effectively put an end to tensions between Jerusalem and Kiev, with a statement from the Prime Ministers Office at the time saying the two leaders agreed to resume their efforts to further strengthen the friendship between Israel and Ukraine.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a special plenary session held in honor of visiting Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (R) at the Knesset, Jerusalem, on December 23, 2015. (Flash90/Hadas Parush)

In the wake of the passage of the Security Council measure, Ukraine defended its vote in favor of Resolution 2234 by hinting at its own conflict with Russia as a driving force behind the decision.

Without explicitly mentioning Moscows annexation of Crimea and a civil war in the countrys east with Russian-backed separatists, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said it experienced itself the tragic consequences brought by the violation of international law, effectively drawing a parallel between Israeli building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and Russian policies.

After the measure was passed, the Israeli government took a number of retaliatory measures against countries that supported its passage, including an official dressing-down of the Security Council members ambassadors to Israel.

The Security Council resolution, which passed 14-0 with only the United States abstaining, also called on Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, while also expressing its grave concern that continuing Israeli settlement activities are dangerously imperiling the viability of the two-state solution.

See the rest here:
Following earlier snub, Ukraine's Jewish PM to visit Israel in May - The Times of Israel

Ukrainian authorities have decided to open a criminal investigation into a 94-year-old Jewish WWII hero who is being accused of killing a Nazi collaborator.

Col. Boris Steckler was warned that he is expected to stand trial for killing a Ukrainian nationalist in 1952.

Col. Boris Steckler

Steckler was a senior officer in the Soviet Army and after the war was appointed as an officer in the KGB and was responsible for capturing Nazis and collaborators in western Ukraine.

During a battle in the Rivne Oblast in western Ukraine, Steckler was involved in a confrontation with nationalists who cooperated with the Nazis. During the confrontation, a man by the name of Neil Hasiewicz, who was a propagandist and district judge during the war, was shot and killed.

Local nationalist groups recently filed a complaint against Steckler, accusing him of responsibility for the assassination of Hasiewicza fact that Steckler does not deny.

Sketch of Neil Hasiewicz

In an unprecedented move, this is the first time Ukrainian authorities have sought to arrest a person who worked against Nazi collaborators during and after the Second World War.

Steckler was recognized as a local war hero and is regularly invited to the parades commemorating the victory over the Nazis. He was wounded during the war and received countless medals for courage.

Alex Tantzer, whose family was murdered in the Holocaust in the Rivne region, said that it was nothing less than a sign of cultural decline for Ukrainians.

"I do not know whether this is anti-Semitism or not. In Ukraine, there are occasional complaints from nationalist organizations, and it's a shame that the authorities take it seriously ... It's a shame that the government in Ukraine does not stop these horrific things. Now when we celebrate victory over Nazi Germany, we are persecuting this Jew who fought against Nazis."

Read more here:
Ukraine opens criminal probe against 94-year-old Jewish WWII hero - Ynetnews

Frants Klintsevich Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/. Construction of a dam in Ukraines Kherson region to cut Crimea off water supplies shows moral depravity and is merely a waste of money, said Frants Klintsevich, a member of the upper house of Russian parliament.

Ukraine has put into service the dam that fully blocks the flow of water from the Dnieper River along the North Crimean canal.

The Russian lawmaker called the idea wishful thinking.

"It is quite similar to Crimeas energy blockade," Klintsevich said. "The peninsula has water, but Ukrainian hryvnias have been wasted. So to say, cutting off the nose to spite the face."

Ukrainian authorities first create problems for their country and then "succeed" in solving them, he said.

"Three years ago, having closed the Dnieper sluice gates, they shut off water supplies to the agricultural areas in the Kherson region as well," he added. "Now a dam of 35 million hryvnia ($1.315 mln) worth needs to be erected. They, however, could report We have eventually dewatered the draughty Crimea.".

In other media

Excerpt from:
Ukraine blows money by building dam to cut Crimea off water Russian lawmaker - TASS

Paul Manaforts presence at the Washington meetings conflicts with Mercurys previous claims that it didnt coordinate with Manafort. | AP Photo

By Isaac Arnsdorf

04/28/17 03:46 PM EDT

Updated 04/28/17 04:14 PM EDT

President Donald Trumps former campaign chairman Paul Manafort met at least one U.S. government official connected to the Russia-aligned political party he was representing in 2012 and 2013, according to recent disclosures filed with the Justice Department.

With Vin Weber, a partner at the lobbying firm Mercury, Manafort met with Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.); former Arizona Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe of the International Republican Institute; Paula Dobriansky of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government; and Nadia Diuk of the National Endowment for Democracy, according to disclosures filed by Mercury.

Story Continued Below

The lobbying effort was on behalf of a Brussels-based think tank that supported Ukraines Party of Regions, headed at the time by former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a Manafort client.

Manaforts presence at the Washington meetings, which had not been previously disclosed, conflicts with Mercurys previous claims that it didnt coordinate with Manafort.

The Brussels think tank, the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, paid Mercury more than $1.2 million for work between May 2012 and May 2014, according to the disclosures.

Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said, One meeting with one lawmaker connected to this topic in a two year period looks like incidental contact to fair-minded Americans.

Earlier this month, Maloni said Manafort might report his foreign lobbying activities in response to advice from authorities.

Manafort, a longtime associate of Trump confidant Roger Stone, was ousted from Trumps campaign in August following revelations by The New York Times about his work in Ukraine.

Mercury partner Michael McKeon said Manafort connected his Brussels think tank client to the firm. Manafort referred the client to us, McKeon said in a statement. At that time, he was widely recognized for his significant experience in Ukrainian politics and we felt his perspective would be meaningful in those few meetings. That was the extent of his involvement with us.

Weber also accompanied former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko to a meeting with then-Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) in May 2012, according to the disclosures.

Intelligence and analysis on lobbying weekday mornings, in your inbox.

By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Mercury originally reported its lobbying for the think tank to Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, which doesnt require firms to itemize each interaction and expense. But lobbying for foreign governments and political party has to be reported to the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Mercury said it relied on assurances from the think tank that it wasnt funded or controlled by a foreign political party. We got it in writing so we could be sure we were doing it right, and relied on our counsel to make the proper determination, McKeon said.

While violating the disclosure law is criminal, the office that enforces it usually settles for bringing lobbyists into compliance instead of bringing charges.

The other lobbying firm working for the think tank, the Podesta Group, also retroactively filed with the Justice Department earlier this month.

Missing out on the latest scoops? Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning in your inbox.

Excerpt from:
Disclosures show Manafort participated in Ukraine lobbying - Politico

Wladimir Klitschko has an imposing challenge to return from nearly an 18-month absence from boxing and defeat unbeaten champion Anthony Joshua, whos 18-0 with 18 knockouts.

What helps the 41-year-old Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) as he pursues tying Muhammad Ali and his older brother, Vitali Klitschko, in becoming a three-time heavyweight champion are the daily mountainous tasks his brother endures.

As mayor of Kiev, Ukraine, Vitali Klitschko finds himself charged with keeping order and calm among five million people where tension with Russia remains a constant, and refugees stream in from the south and east borders.

This fight, to be staged Saturday in front of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium (1:15 p.m. Pacific time on Showtime), has afforded the brothers a reunion to briefly set aside the obsessive responsibilities thrust upon Vitali and focus on the younger brothers fight.

A Klitschko victory Saturday eases the strain of the governing duties that resume Monday.

Ukrainians are going through a lot of challenges geopolitical, economical and those challenges need good motivation, Wladimir said after his news conference with Joshua.

Sports, as Nelson Mandela said, has the power to change the world, change motivation, change a lot of things. In this crazy world and I call it crazy because weve seen actions in the past, terrible events a violent sport such as boxing shows that, through sports, you can clarify each others differences under the rules and then continue your life.

Theres a lot of lesson in sport.

Vitali has been a constant by his brothers side this fight week. The pair sat by each other at Joshuas public workout Wednesday and studied his every move with fierce attention.

While Wladimir downplayed the scene, saying he did it because Im fighting him, Vitali confided he saw intimidation from the fighter whos 14 years younger and was an Olympic champion 16 years after his opponent.

Joshua is fighting two brothers, Vitali said. I can see its a little bit scary for Joshua. Wladimir has never been in such great shape.

While a rematch clause exists for the loser, Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn says a one-sided Joshua victory defuses interest in a second fight. And after losing three of his heavyweight belts to Tyson Fury in a lethargic loss by unanimous decision in November 2015, Wladimir could retire in defeat.

Would he consider politics or assisting his brother in his next career?

We have one politician in the family. Do we really need another one? Wladimir asked.

When he has visited Vitali in Kiev, Wladimir said hes struck by the enormous scale of a mayors work.

Pretty often, the people think Im Vitali and theyre coming to me with their problems to tell me, The streets need to be better, I need a better salary, better medical care, that my electricity doesnt work in the building, Wladimir said.

Whatever the mayor can take care of, people approach me and think I can help them. I tell them, Guys, I want to do good, but I cant help you. They say, Why? Youre the mayor. I say, No, Im not! They ask if I quit my job. I say, No, Im Wladimir. Not the mayor.

In that sense, after Vitali has also endured physical abuse seeking to assist his countryman, fighting a less experienced man in the ring doesnt seem as daunting for the veteran fighter known as Doctor Steelhammer.

When I hear these problems, I think Vitali is in a much bigger fight than hes ever been in his career, Wladimir said.

Its something where you dont have to think about just one opponent. Boxing, there are rules. Politics, there are flexible rules and you dont see your opponents standing in the ring. There are a lot of sharks under the water and you dont know what theyre doing.

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimespugmire

Read more:
In Ukraine and with Anthony Joshua, Klitschko brothers join forces again - Los Angeles Times