As Ukraine’s hard-line pro-Moscow prime minister and his government resigned, Russian president Vladimir Putin says that he will still provide the country with the $15bn (€11bn) bailout as agreed.

The European Union suspended association talks with Ukraine yesterday as more than 200,000 protesters massed in the heart of Kiev demanding that the government recommit itself to the West.

A top European Union official said today that the bloc has decided to revive long-dormant EU membership talks with Turkey later this year.

ICELAND’S application for membership of the EU has been given the thumbs up by the European Commission.