Germany, UK to Maintain Relations with Moscow; Kiev Struggles

Ukraine’s Finance Minister Oleksander Shlapak said that the country’s foreign currency reserves are not enough to cover all debt repayments due in 2014. Ukraine is called to repay about $10 billion in state debt by the end of the year. 

Indeed, while Reuters reports that ‘Germany’s dependence on Russian gas may effectively decrease Europe’s sovereignty,’ Ukraine continues its struggle.

According to a note released by the Kremlin, Russia’s Vladimir Putin had telephone conversations with UK’s Minister David Cameron and Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel.

‘Although the three leaders did express differences of opinion regarding the events taking place, they declared their common interest in de-escalating tension and returning the situation to normal as soon as possible,’ reads the note.

In another press release, Gazprom reported it ‘successfully hold Investor Day in London and in New York.’

‘In London it was attended by over 140 portfolio managers and analysts from major international investment funds and credit institutions. In New York the number of attendees exceeded 80. They represented such prominent investment banks as Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Societe Generale, UBS, VTB Capital, Gazprombank and Sberbank CIB,’ reads the communiqué released by Gazprom.