Crimea
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, center, speaks with young athletes at the Olympics Unleashed session at the Yeronga Park Sports Centre in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, May 7, 2022. Bach was in Brisbane on Saturday for the first time since the Queensland state capital was awarded the 2032 Olympics. (Jason O'Brien/AAP Image via AP)
Bach says Russia ban is to protect athletes, not punish them

By Graham Dunbar May. 20, 2022 09:08 AM EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to deliver his speech at the concert marking the eighth anniversary of the referendum on the state status of Crimea and Sevastopol and its reunification with Russia, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 18, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian Olympians face backlash after Vladimir Putin rally

Mar. 23, 2022 07:26 AM EDT

Dmytro Pidruchnyi of Ukraine shoots during zeroing in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Ukrainian athletes join military after Russian invasion

By James Ellingworth Mar. 02, 2022 06:47 AM EST

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach waves during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
IOC urges sports bodies to cancel events in Russia, Belarus

By Graham Dunbar Feb. 25, 2022 09:58 AM EST

A staff prepares for the arrival of Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, for the Olympic Truce Mural ceremony at the Olympic Village ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Beijing. (Wang Zhao/Pool Photo via AP)
EXPLAINER: What in the world is the Olympic Truce?

By Mallika Sen Feb. 08, 2022 10:10 AM EST

FILE - A worker prepares to administer a COVID-19 test at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 2, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Olympic spotlight back on China for a COVID-tinged Games

By Eddie Pells Feb. 03, 2022 04:16 AM EST

Marta Fiedina and Anastasiya Savchuk of Ukraine shows their medals during the medal ceremony of the duet free routine final at the the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Organizers apologize to Ukraine for calling them Russian

By Graham Dunbar Aug. 05, 2021 01:33 AM EDT

United States' Eddy Alvarez, front, and Nick Allen embrace after a semi-final baseball game against South Korea at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. The United States won 7-2. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Olympics Latest: China women win table tennis again

Aug. 04, 2021 08:33 PM EDT

Naomi Osaka carries the Olympic Torch during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
The Latest: Osaka lights cauldron at Tokyo opening ceremony

Jul. 22, 2021 09:51 PM EDT

President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
The Latest: Biden and Putin depart Geneva after summit

Jun. 16, 2021 04:00 AM EDT

FILE - In this June 15, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden arrives for the United States-European Union Summit at the European Council in Brussels. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
What They Want: Divergent goals for Biden, Putin at summit

By Jonathan Lemire And Vladimir Isachenkov Jun. 16, 2021 12:06 AM EDT

FILE - In this June 15, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden arrives for the United States-European Union Summit at the European Council in Brussels. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
What They Want: Divergent goals for Biden, Putin at summit

By Jonathan Lemire And Vladimir Isachenkov Jun. 15, 2021 01:05 PM EDT

Josep Borrell Fontelles vice president of the European Commission in charge of coordinating the external action of the European Union, delivers his speech about the Systematic repression in Belarus and its consequences for European security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities. Strasbourg eastern France, Tuesday 8 june , 2021. (Jean-François Badias / Pool via AP)
Russia spars with EU and US at meeting on EU-UN cooperation

By Edith M. Lederer Jun. 11, 2021 12:35 AM EDT

The entrance path to Wembley stadium, ahead of the upcoming Euro 2020 soccer championship in London, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. The Euro 2020 kicks off on Friday June 11 when Italy face Turkey in Rome. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Virus threat, Europe's divisions hang over rescheduled Euros

By Rob Harris Jun. 10, 2021 10:29 AM EDT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures while speaking to the media during a news conference with the world's largest airplane, Ukrainian Antonov An-225 Mriya in the background, at the Antonov aircraft factory in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Biden invites Ukrainian president to White House this summer

By Aamer Madhani And Vladimir Isachenkov Jun. 07, 2021 05:03 PM EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with a cabinet members and high range military officials in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Tuesday, May 25, 2021. (Sergei Ilyin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Kremlin tempers expectations for Putin-Biden summit in June

By Vladimir Isachenkov May. 26, 2021 08:19 AM EDT

FILE - In this April 4, 1981 file photo, Buck's Fizz on stage during rehearsals for the Eurovision Sing contest in Dublin, Ireland. The band won the contest with their song "Making Your Mind Up." (AP Photo/Bob Dear, File)
AP PHOTOS: Eurovision delivers decades of songs, spectacle

By The Associated Press May. 20, 2021 02:51 AM EDT

Ukraine, Baltics, Poland leaders meet on Polish holiday

By Monika Scislowska May. 03, 2021 04:21 AM EDT
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Lithuania's president said Monday that his country will never accept Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and Moscow's...

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Coordination Center of the Russian Government in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, April 13, 2021. The centre was set up as a line of communication with the whole of Russia for analysing and collecting information, promptly using big data and solving arising problems. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
US expels Russian diplomats, imposes sanctions for hacking

By Eric Tucker And Aamer Madhani Apr. 16, 2021 12:22 AM EDT

President Joe Biden speaks about Russia in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 15, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
US expels Russian diplomats, imposes sanctions for hacking

By Eric Tucker And Aamer Madhani Apr. 15, 2021 11:58 AM EDT