Azerbaijan and Belarus agreed to boost economic cooperation between the two former Soviet countries after President Alexander Lukashenko's official visit to Baku.

EU member state Czech Republic and Russia are at the heart of the latest intrigue. Prague on Saturday ordered 14 Russian diplomats to get out within 48 hours, saying Moscow was involved in a 2014 ammunition depot explosion in the country, which, if true, would be an extraordinary ante-up.

Verbosity is one of the few tangible instruments the West has to try and influence Moscow. It has supplied some military support to Kyiv in the way of weapons sales. But it is in no position – be it NATO, Washington, Berlin, Paris, or the EU - to intervene militarily.