UN Security Council pulic meeting on now – awaiting anything substantive

The emergency session on Ukraine was requested by Ukraine + UNSC members US, UK, Albania, Ireland, Norway and Mexico.

Russia chairs the UNSC at present (until the end of February).

First remarks are coming from the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary A. DiCarlo. Speaking to the council:

• regrets order to deploy russian troops into eastern ukraine on reported ‘peacekeeping mission’
• says u.n. fully committed to sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of ukraine, within internationally recognized borders
• says ‘risk of major conflict is real and needs to be prevented at all costs’

US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield:

• says Russian order to deploy peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine is nonsense
• says Russian recognition of eastern Ukraine ‘clearly the basis for Russia’s attempt to create a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine
• says Putin wants the world to travel back in time, to a time when empires ruled the world, this is not 1919
• says the consequences of Russia’s actions will be dire — across Ukraine, Europe and the globe

• says that President Putin has “torn the Minsk agreement to shreds” and says that no UN member “can stand on the sidelines.”

more to come

 
 eur 
EUR

The euro (EUR) is the official currency of the European Union (EU) and 19 of 27 member states at the time of writing. It is the second most-traded currency worldwide in forex markets after the US dollar.The euro was originally introduced back on January 1, 1999, having replaced the European Currency Unit. Banknotes and physical euro coins subsequently entered circulation only in 2002.Upon its adoption, the euro replaced domestic currencies in participating EU member states. The rise in its value since then and importance in the global market has helped solidify its status as one of the most important currencies in the FX market today.Together with the USD, the currency pair is easily among the most important for forex, given its exposure into the two main economic blocs. What Factors Affects the EUR?There are several factors that affect the euro. Like most currencies, monetary policy is the most influential, which in this case refers to the European Central Bank (ECB).The ECB is responsible for regulating the monetary policy, money supply, interest rates, and relative strength of the euro. Forex traders of the euro are routinely tuned into any decision or announcements from the ECB for this reason.With 19 sovereign member states, the euro is particularly vulnerable to political developments. Recent examples include Greece’s debt crisis and Brexit, among others, which can seriously impact the euro.Finally, economic data from the bloc or from key member states such as Germany, France, Spain, and others are also closely eyed. This includes retail sales, jobless claims, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and others.

The euro (EUR) is the official currency of the European Union (EU) and 19 of 27 member states at the time of writing. It is the second most-traded currency worldwide in forex markets after the US dollar.The euro was originally introduced back on January 1, 1999, having replaced the European Currency Unit. Banknotes and physical euro coins subsequently entered circulation only in 2002.Upon its adoption, the euro replaced domestic currencies in participating EU member states. The rise in its value since then and importance in the global market has helped solidify its status as one of the most important currencies in the FX market today.Together with the USD, the currency pair is easily among the most important for forex, given its exposure into the two main economic blocs. What Factors Affects the EUR?There are several factors that affect the euro. Like most currencies, monetary policy is the most influential, which in this case refers to the European Central Bank (ECB).The ECB is responsible for regulating the monetary policy, money supply, interest rates, and relative strength of the euro. Forex traders of the euro are routinely tuned into any decision or announcements from the ECB for this reason.With 19 sovereign member states, the euro is particularly vulnerable to political developments. Recent examples include Greece’s debt crisis and Brexit, among others, which can seriously impact the euro.Finally, economic data from the bloc or from key member states such as Germany, France, Spain, and others are also closely eyed. This includes retail sales, jobless claims, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and others.
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