The Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has said Thursday that the issue of the country’s NATO membership will be decided by referendum. During an official visit in Paris, France, Poroshenko said NATO membership was one of the “fundamental issues” for Ukraine.

Ukraine urged its allies to send it weapons and accused rebels of persistent ceasefire violations as NATO warned about an increase in Russian troop movement both near and across the border. “The Ukrainian army needs weapons to defend Ukraine,” Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told lawmakers in Kyiv on Friday. “And …

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko held summit talks with the European Union as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she expects sanctions against Russia to be renewed over the conflict in Ukraine’s east.