UKRAINE

Ukraine's Poroshenko had earlier claimed in a tweet that a cease-fire was reached in a part of eastern Ukraine, but Russia refuted the claim.

The military offensive in the country's restive northwest has also displaced over 800,000 people from their homes.

Hackers who targeted JPMorgan last month were “a nation-state backed group” with “exceptional skills,” a former NSA chief told Bloomberg.

Australia, which will host a G20 summit in November, has said that opposition to Vladimir Putin's presence at the meeting is growing.

Russia denies its troops are involved in fighting on the ground, in the face of what Western countries and Ukraine say is overwhelming evidence.

Tuesday's upbeat data added to reports on employment and housing that have suggested growth remains sturdy, despite a slowdown in consumer spending in recent months.

Vladimir Putin's claims that he could take Kiev in two weeks have been taken out of context, says the Russian president's advisers.

More than one million people have been displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, including 814,000 Ukrainians now in Russia with various forms of status, the UNHCR United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.

NATO had, on Monday, announced plans to form a "very high readiness force" to respond to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Putin made the boast as European leaders considered more sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says a build up of forces in Eastern Europe is necessary to guard against Russian aggression.

Russia and China launched construction of an almost-2,500-mile natural-gas pipeline between themselves Monday.

Poroshenko said in a speech there would be high-level personnel changes in the Ukrainian armed forces.

The fresh set of bans from Australia will affect 63 Russian and Ukrainian individuals, along with 21 corporations.

Rep. Peter King says Putin has to know there's "a price to pay" for his actions in Ukraine.

The troop exchange occurs as Ukraine accuses Russia of providing pro-Russian separatists with soldiers and armored vehicles.

At least one Ukrainian military ship was attacked in the Sea of Azov by pro-Russian separatists Sunday.

Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists should discuss "issues of society's political organization and statehood," Vladimir Putin says.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was appointed Saturday to be the EU's primary representative on the world stage.

Van Rompuy says new sanctions against Russia will be drawn up within a week.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko solicited EU support Saturday during discussions of his country's conflict with pro-Russian separatists.