There was a moment, round about when a referee was giving another dubious late penalty to Roma, that I wondered if all the anxiety was actually worth it.

Twelve months ago Virgil van Dijk watched the Champions League final and could only dream, as a Southampton player, what it would be like to play in one.

There’s something about Liverpool and Europe that seems to go together.

LATEST: Theresa May vowed to support Ukraine in the face of the "threat" from Moscow as she welcomes Petro Poroshenko to Downing Street.

Ukraine has filed a case against Russia at the United Nations' highest court, accusing Moscow of illegally annexing Crimea and illicitly funding separatist rebel groups.

Russia has warned it could break diplomatic ties with Ukraine over reported security incidents in Crimea, something it did not do even after annexing the disputed territory or throwing its support behind separatist rebels in the east.

Xenophobia and the resurgence of hard-line nationalists reflect disappointment with the unification project, and much of the blame lies with an economically imperialist and arrogant Germany and with the unwillingness of other member states to take the lead, says Lucian Kim

The US extended its sanctions against Russia by 12 months at the start of March, but the EU is dragging its heels, and with good reason. For example, Ireland has lost €350m of exports over the past 12 months.

Russia has accused the Ukrainian government of dragging its feet on implementing last year’s cease-fire agreement.

Sergio Aguero believes a derby victory over Manchester United could be critical to Manchester City’s hopes of securing a top-four spot.

Manchester City lost defenders Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi to injury as they limped into the Champions League quarter-finals after a dull goalless draw against Dynamo Kiev.

Ukraine has said it will not repay $3bn (€2.76bn) in bonds due to Russia.

Fate has a way of setting up enticing Champions League encounters and Chelsea’s showdown against Porto tomorrow is up there with the best, writes David Shonfield.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will face no action after the Football Association cleared him of making discriminatory comments towards then club doctor Eva Carneiro.

Ukraine has reached a crucial deal with its international bondholders that will help prop up its government finances and keep the struggling country from defaulting on its debt.

Ceasefire under threat as Independence Day imminent

Ukraine has accused two Russian servicemen it said it captured of being part of a special forces group that had killed and wounded Ukrainian servicemen in fighting in its eastern regions and said they would be prosecuted for “terrorist acts”.

Nato’s chief said that Russia had built up forces on the border with Ukraine and sent more military hardware into eastern Ukraine, enabling pro-Russia separatists to launch attacks with little warning if they chose.

Ukraine has signed an interim deal for cheaper supplies of gas from Russia for the next three months, Ukrainian energy officials said yesterday.

Dynamo Kiev 5 Everton 2:

EU leaders are likely to keep economic sanctions on Russia in place until a Ukraine ceasefire deal is fully working, after German chancellor Angela Merkel said it would be wrong to ease pressure on Moscow prematurely.

To propose a joint European army to challenge Russia’s “aggression”, is counter productive to promoting peace in Europe. Russia is an integral part of Europe and one needs to remember that Russia took the brunt of Nazi Germany in WW2, and lost over 20 million of its citizens in that endeavour.

No casualties as hopes that long-awaited ceasefire will hold

Policeman and demonstrator die after explosion at memorial rally

Russian president Vladimir Putin has suggested that the United States is already delivering weapons to Ukraine.

Moscow pledges ‘adequate’ response as EU extends sanctions

The International Monetary Fund has agreed to provide Ukraine with US $17.5 billion to help support economic reforms.

Russia sanctions to stay in place for now ‘to give peace a chance’

President Barack Obama and German chancellor Angela Merkel are trying for a public display of unity despite a potential split over arming Ukrainian fighters to fight Russian-backed separatists.

A top-level summit to discuss the crisis in Ukraine is being planned for the coming week.

Ukraine’s president has pushed for a quick ceasefire in his country’s troubled east, insisting that the conflict must be resolved and not “frozen,” and pressed Kiev’s case to be supplied with defensive weapons.

THE decision by the EU last week to extend economic sanctions against Russia until the end of September reflects the growing crisis in the region. 

Indiscriminate rocket fire has hit a market, schools, homes and shops in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, killing at least 30 people, authorities said.

An artillery shell or mortar struck a public transport stop in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 11 civilians in an incident which both sides blamed on the other.

A major exchange of war prisoners is getting under way in eastern Ukraine, with about 370 expected to be released.

A major exchange of war prisoners is getting under way in eastern Ukraine, with about 370 expected to be released.