December 20, 2015 Iran, China hold high-level talks to expand military ties Iranian Defense Minister Hussein Dehghan met with his Chinese counterpart, Chang Wanquan, in Beijing on Monday to increase “cooperation between the two countries in military and defensive fields,” according to Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency.
December 20, 2015 US plans to use anti-tax evasion law to penalize Russian banks, investors over Ukraine The United States is planning to use an anti-tax-evasion law to punish Russia for its actions in Ukraine, a tactic that could prove to be more costly than sanctions.
December 20, 2015 Peace talks set for South Sudan - or will new nation face global sanctions? South Sudan was supposed to be a crowning foreign policy achievement for the United States – something that would last at a time when the Arab Spring revolutions in Libya and Egypt haven’t been living up to their expectations. After all, the country’s very existence was brought about through years of developmental aid approved by various U.S. administrations.
December 20, 2015 Obama, Merkel aim to display unity against Russia President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are putting on a display of trans-Atlantic unity against an assertive Russia, even as sanctions imposed by Western allies seem to be doing little to change Russian President Vladimir Putin's reasoning on Ukraine.
December 20, 2015 Senate Republicans introduce new Russia sanctions bill, rip Obama's 'tepid' response Senate Republicans on Wednesday slammed President Obama's response to Russian aggression as timid and insufficient, and offered an alternative that would impose sanctions on banking and energy sectors and provide weapons to Ukraine.
December 20, 2015 US imposes new sanctions on Russian individuals, companies The Obama administration took a shot at Vladimir Putin's close associates -- and perhaps the Russian president's own pockets -- by ratcheting up sanctions on officials and companies tied to him in a bid to compel Moscow to ease its intervention in eastern Ukraine.
December 20, 2015 Obama says US-Philippines military pact will improve Asia's security President Barack Obama said a 10-year agreement signed Monday to give the U.S military greater access to Philippine bases will help promote peace and stability in the region and that he hopes China's dominant power will allow its neighbors to prosper on their own terms.
December 20, 2015 White House defends Russia foreign policy, amid criticism Putin goes undeterred The White House on Sunday defended its foreign policy strategy on Russia, saying the international sanctions are hurting that country’s economy and has Russian citizens losing faith in President Vladimir Putin.
December 20, 2015 Obama warns North Korea against nuclear test, threatens sanctions Obama's visit to Seoul comes as North Korea has threatened to conduct its fourth nuclear test, leading Obama to raise the possibility of further sanctions.
December 20, 2015 Kerry: Russia has 'refused to take a single step' to de-escalate Ukraine crisis Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday Russia is not abiding by last week’s Geneva agreement to de-escalate the crisis in the Ukraine and warned "if Russia continues in this direction, it will be not just a grave mistake, it will be an expensive mistake."