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| Nato summit: Alliance 'stands with Ukraine' | Nato summit: Alliance 'stands with Ukraine' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Nato military alliance, at its summit in Wales, has said it "stands with Ukraine" in the face of Russia's "destabilising" influence. | The Nato military alliance, at its summit in Wales, has said it "stands with Ukraine" in the face of Russia's "destabilising" influence. |
| Nato also called on Russia "to pull back its troops" from Ukraine and end the "illegal" annexation of Crimea. | Nato also called on Russia "to pull back its troops" from Ukraine and end the "illegal" annexation of Crimea. |
| UK government officials say fresh EU and US sanctions will be announced against Russia on Friday. | |
| Separately, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and rebel leaders said a ceasefire could be agreed on Friday. | Separately, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and rebel leaders said a ceasefire could be agreed on Friday. |
| Some 2,600 people have died in fighting between Ukrainian troops and rebels. Ukraine's military says 837 its soldiers have died since the conflict erupted in April. | Some 2,600 people have died in fighting between Ukrainian troops and rebels. Ukraine's military says 837 its soldiers have died since the conflict erupted in April. |
| In a statement delivered by Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance also called on Russia "to step back from confrontation and take the path to peace". | In a statement delivered by Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance also called on Russia "to step back from confrontation and take the path to peace". |
| Nato's partnership with Ukraine was "strong" and the alliance was "determined to make it even stronger", including developing the ability of Ukrainian and Nato forces to work together. | Nato's partnership with Ukraine was "strong" and the alliance was "determined to make it even stronger", including developing the ability of Ukrainian and Nato forces to work together. |
| Russia denies arming pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine or that it has deployed troops in the country. | |
| The fresh sanctions to be announced by the United States and the European Union on Friday are expected to include further restrictions on the banking, energy and defence sectors. | |
| More associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin will have travel bans imposed on them, and more banks owned by the Russian state will be banned from accessing the financial markets, UK government officials told the BBC. | |
| At the Nato summit, French President Francois Hollande said a European Union decision on imposing further sanctions on Russia would depend on what progress was made towards peace in Ukraine in the coming hours. | |
| He had earlier signalled a toughening of European policy towards Russia on Wednesday by suspending a military deal worth 1.2bn euros ($1.6bn; £0.95bn). | |
| The decision risks costing France at least 1bn euros (£800m), officials say. | |
| Mariupol | Mariupol |
| Ukrainian government forces have recently suffered several losses of territory, after rebels launched offensives in both the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and further south around the city of Mariupol on the Azov Sea. | Ukrainian government forces have recently suffered several losses of territory, after rebels launched offensives in both the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and further south around the city of Mariupol on the Azov Sea. |
| Reports are emerging that the separatists have begun shelling the outer defences of Mariupol. At least two military vehicles were seen on fire in the area, and eyewitnesses spoke of gunfire. | Reports are emerging that the separatists have begun shelling the outer defences of Mariupol. At least two military vehicles were seen on fire in the area, and eyewitnesses spoke of gunfire. |
| Meanwhile, President Poroshenko said "the implementation" of a peace plan - which includes a bilateral ceasefire - could start on Friday, a hope expressed earlier by Mr Putin. | |
| The Ukrainian leader said this depended on planned talks in Minsk between representatives of Ukraine, Russia, the pro-Russian rebels and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. | The Ukrainian leader said this depended on planned talks in Minsk between representatives of Ukraine, Russia, the pro-Russian rebels and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. |
| Rebel leaders were later quoted as saying they would order a ceasefire at 11:00 GMT on Friday if the peace plan was agreed. | Rebel leaders were later quoted as saying they would order a ceasefire at 11:00 GMT on Friday if the peace plan was agreed. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Putin announced a seven-point plan, including a halt to "active offensive operations" by the Ukrainian military and pro-Russia rebels, international ceasefire monitoring, unconditional prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid corridors. | On Wednesday, Mr Putin announced a seven-point plan, including a halt to "active offensive operations" by the Ukrainian military and pro-Russia rebels, international ceasefire monitoring, unconditional prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid corridors. |
| 'Unacceptable' actions | 'Unacceptable' actions |
| During the two-days of talks in Wales, Nato leaders are also set to discuss the rise of Islamic State (IS), and Afghanistan where Taliban militants launched a deadly attack on a government compound on Thursday. | During the two-days of talks in Wales, Nato leaders are also set to discuss the rise of Islamic State (IS), and Afghanistan where Taliban militants launched a deadly attack on a government compound on Thursday. |
| Writing in the Times newspaper, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama said they would "confront" IS, warning their countries would "not be cowed by barbaric killers". | Writing in the Times newspaper, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama said they would "confront" IS, warning their countries would "not be cowed by barbaric killers". |
| Their statement follows the release of a new IS video showing the killing of US journalist Steven Sotloff, just days after the group beheaded another American reporter, James Foley. | Their statement follows the release of a new IS video showing the killing of US journalist Steven Sotloff, just days after the group beheaded another American reporter, James Foley. |
| In the latest video, an IS militant is also seen threatening to kill a UK hostage, aid worker David Haines, who was seized in March 2013 in Syria's Idlib province. | In the latest video, an IS militant is also seen threatening to kill a UK hostage, aid worker David Haines, who was seized in March 2013 in Syria's Idlib province. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| 'Dramatically changed' | 'Dramatically changed' |
| Earlier on Thursday, Mr Rasmussen said the summit was taking place in a "dramatically changed security environment", with Russia "attacking Ukraine". | Earlier on Thursday, Mr Rasmussen said the summit was taking place in a "dramatically changed security environment", with Russia "attacking Ukraine". |
| "We are still witnessing unfortunately Russian involvement in destabilising the situation in eastern Ukraine," he told journalists in Newport ahead of the summit's official launch. | "We are still witnessing unfortunately Russian involvement in destabilising the situation in eastern Ukraine," he told journalists in Newport ahead of the summit's official launch. |
| Mr Cameron stressed pressure of sanctions was "the right way to tell the Russians that what they are doing is unacceptable". | Mr Cameron stressed pressure of sanctions was "the right way to tell the Russians that what they are doing is unacceptable". |
| The summit is considered Nato's most important for decades, as leaders faced the question of whether the alliance is equipped to deal with 21st Century challenges. | The summit is considered Nato's most important for decades, as leaders faced the question of whether the alliance is equipped to deal with 21st Century challenges. |
| Nato is expected to approve plans to create a rapid response force composed of several thousand troops from member states, able to deploy within 48 hours. | Nato is expected to approve plans to create a rapid response force composed of several thousand troops from member states, able to deploy within 48 hours. |
| Moscow's actions in Ukraine have raised fears among Nato states bordering Russia, including Lithuania, which has a sizeable Russian-speaking minority. | Moscow's actions in Ukraine have raised fears among Nato states bordering Russia, including Lithuania, which has a sizeable Russian-speaking minority. |
| Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told the BBC that if Nato did not face up to the challenge "sooner or later we will be facing the aggressor near our border, literally". | Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told the BBC that if Nato did not face up to the challenge "sooner or later we will be facing the aggressor near our border, literally". |
| Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent | Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent |
| The challenge from Moscow is two-fold. Russia is, firstly, overturning the post-Cold War security order in Europe set out in the Nato-Russia Founding Act of 1997. | The challenge from Moscow is two-fold. Russia is, firstly, overturning the post-Cold War security order in Europe set out in the Nato-Russia Founding Act of 1997. |
| This document, signed in Paris by Nato leaders and then-President Boris Yeltsin, set out to build "a lasting and inclusive peace in the Euro-Atlantic Area". | This document, signed in Paris by Nato leaders and then-President Boris Yeltsin, set out to build "a lasting and inclusive peace in the Euro-Atlantic Area". |
| It contained an explicit requirement to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states. Nato's view is that Russia's behaviour in Ukraine is a blatant breach of the principles contained in the Founding Act. | It contained an explicit requirement to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states. Nato's view is that Russia's behaviour in Ukraine is a blatant breach of the principles contained in the Founding Act. |
| Secondly, Russian willingness to back separatist forces and to nibble away at the territory of countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union has revived fears among Nato members which border Russia, especially Poland and the Baltic republics. | Secondly, Russian willingness to back separatist forces and to nibble away at the territory of countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union has revived fears among Nato members which border Russia, especially Poland and the Baltic republics. |
| The principal task of this summit is to try to reassure worried Nato members and to send clear signals to Moscow about Nato's resolve. | The principal task of this summit is to try to reassure worried Nato members and to send clear signals to Moscow about Nato's resolve. |
| 'Brazen aggression' | 'Brazen aggression' |