Earlier this month, US President Barack Obama gave a speech in the small Baltic state of Estonia. President Obama’s visit was intended to reassure countries in the region nervous about Russian strategy, and it came ahead of a major NATO summit at which it was announced the alliance would be increasing its troop presence in Eastern Europe.
Estonia has a significant ethnic Russian population (about a quarter of the population) and has long had tense relations with its Eastern neighbour. Shortly after Obama’s visit, the Estonian government complained that Russian agents had snatched an Estonian intelligence officer in a raid on the Estonian side of the border. Moscow denies the raid had violated Estonian territory.
Regardless of Russia’s intentions, many of its neighbours are clearly alarmed by the recent annexation of Crimea and reports of Russian troops in Eastern Ukraine. We had a comment sent in from Crayven suggesting that some EU Member States, such as Estonia and Poland, might also be at risk from Russian strategy.
When we spoke to Anna Fotyga, a former Polish Foreign Minister and current MEP and Chair of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defence, we asked her to react to Crayven’s comment. She argued that Russian strategy is clearly militarised and directed at all former Soviet Bloc countries, so it is therefore correct to say it is dangerous for current EU Member States, including the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and others.
If you’re interested in the issues raised by this debate, you can also take part in the Security Jam organised by our partner think-tank, the Security & Defence Agenda. The Security Jam brings together thousands of security stakeholders from government, the military, academia, think-tanks, media and NGOs to discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, NATO, cybersecurity and other security and defence issues. Visit the SDA website to register and take part.
Could Russia intervene in other countries after Ukraine? Or is Russia merely protecting an embattled minority from persecution? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policy-makers and experts for their reactions.
Estonia and the other Baltic states are in a different position compared to Ukraine mostly because of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty putting these countries under the umbrella of collective security provided by NATO. Although Estonia has common borders with Russia, has a significant Russian minority, and it was occupied by the Soviet Union for almost 50 years, it is a country deeply integrated in the Euro-Atlantic political, economic, and defence structures. It is a highly regarded member of NATO and the European Union, in other words a part of the West. On the basis of this, while there were negative signs recently, as the arrest of an Estonian official, I do not see a very high probability for a large scale provocation in Estonia, however, we cannot rule it out. Events in such situations are unpredictable, thus NATO has to take Estonian concerns seriously and should do everything to deter any potential threat targeting one of its member states.
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If we dont do anything about the Ukraine I have no doubt that they will
Daniel Galdikas
Russia’s Grand Strategy in play!
Why is it ok for USA to “intervene” in so many countries around the globe, but it is not for Russia to intervene when it is about safety of Russians living in Ukraine?
Could you please specify which country the USA has annexed?
Of course, but they are just replicating the example of the West!
If the world does not come to some agreement about how these interventions are to be done, we will be in a George Bush (Barroso) like scenario, of a “coalition of one” (plus friends).
It may not be Iraq, it may be some other country.
Bad examples are easy to follow!
Not our business
They should be worried about the european foreign politic supporting an oligarchich and fascist goverment of Kiev.
Yes, Russia could do it. Cooperation is the key. It would have been better to ask Russia to join EU instead of trying to take Ukraine first. And then all other countries (former USSR) would have joined the EU without any exceptions at all.
When did Russia intervene in the Ukraine? What happened there was quite clearly instigated by a US/EU intervention of a coup which overthrew an elected Ukrainian government. The then Russian speaking people in the Crimea voted overwhelmingly to remain in their country as part of Russia.
This resulted in the Russian speaking rebels in other parts of the Ukraine, from fear of being squashed by the Kiev junta, raising arms to defend their rights as citizens against an army obviously funded by the West, who then tried to tell the world what this headline suggests.That is called propaganda and such propaganda should be registered as a war crime against humanity.
Welcome to the New World Order. It’s called the World Wide Web. And all of mankind should be on its knees thanking its creator.
Here is the full conversation revealing the F–k the EU remark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMZa6VcnNE
ukranians should be worried about it own army! who is killing its own people…whit the support of European Conucil wich i think it is becoming a terrorist organization.
Yes, they should. To prevent that nato should have a strong force in the eastern europe and ukraine should join nato and the EU. nato has got to be the EU’s army. Putin has got to be stoped before he starts the III WW…
I’m sorry, you probably do not own the situation in Ukraine. Not Russia or the Russian president to prevent interference in the affairs of Ukraine. He did not allow himself even harsh statements. He wants to help people. When the Ukrainian side expressed fascist slogans and Ukrainian army is killing civilians. The Ukrainian government has shamelessly lied to Europe to get a loan for himself and preferences. If you were to see what is happening in Ukraine, not in assists Ukrainian TV (owner of TV stations are authorized to operate Poroshenko), you would be horrified. People are afraid to express their views, and those who express them were persecuted and killed. And this is called democracy? God forbid, such a government any strane.Ya do not know why the European Union and the United Nations afford to cheat. I am an ordinary citizen, I am afraid, hurt me, that this injustice can take place in Ukraine, Europe and the world. Do not be mistaken. This criminal government. Only once Hitler began
More like should Europe be worried about the nutjob nazis butchering their own people using banned weapons.
It is of russian interest as a journalist put it the distance between the power elit of european countries and the people of each one. It is so obvious the lack of democracy in the European Union and there’s no excuse for that!
If they have interests over there and the international community allows them, then yes they will.. Once they finish with Ukraine what tells us that they won’t move in Moldova and the Transnistria? Having said that Europe and America can’t be the only ones who try to stop Russia. The whole international community must rally against further invasions by the Russia!!
voi siete tutti pazzi
No it can’t. Stop warmongering!
They have to stop themselves alone, otherwise they`ll be the WW II Germany.
In Ukraine intevene USA from far away and West at USA s orders.
Nice to see so many Greeks supporting the bandit Putin. There is a neo-nazi-stalinist current in Greek policy that many ignored. In fact Golden Dawn has always supported Putin’s policy in Ukraine. Good luck, and do not blame the EU for your own mistakes.
Putin has actually made an attempt to mess with Greek politics and the justice system and demanded that Russian citizens’ money is excluded from the confiscation of a percentage of people’s bank savings. That is again meddling in the internal affairs of the country and for some reason expecting Russian citizens to be treated in a special way when they themselves have decided to unite their financial destiny with that of Cyprus banks. In addition, Mr Putin is supporting the nationalist regime in the Republic of Macedonia which is actively being aggressive towards Greece. Sadly, the average Greek person seems unable to put two and two together and is happy to support a politician that, if democracy worked in his country, he would quite simply himself not be in power. He changed the system so that he is always in power. Very democratic and very Christian right? The perfect Orthodox example…And how many have been killed because of his policy?
Safety of Russians Aleksandros? What should Yushchenko say about the safety of Ukrainians? Tchetchens? Georgians? What kind of imperialistic mentality do you have to claim that it is ok to colonise, kill, poison and invade? Does your Orthodox religion make you so psychopathic?
Marco – the “fascist” won less percentage in Ukraine than in Russia and Italy in the last elections. Please talk about something you know about. Not what you watch on Russia Today’s propaganda.
Really people – grow-up before talking s**t.
Please keep the debate focused on the issues and arguments, don’t make personal remarks about other people in the debate and refrain yourself from using certain kind of language.
What kind of language?
Yvetta, by certain kind of language we meant any inappropriate word
Russia has no fault! Russians from Ukraine wanted to get back to motherland. Not to forget is the fact that Eastern Ukraine was Russia’s teritory. This is the price for Ukraine to get in EU. But in the backstage of conflicts in Ukraine are some big interests of USA and Russia that are selling guns and war machines, and EU has to pay for them.
Yes they should be as long as they are not NATO members. Destabilising the neighbours is a standard Russian policy aimed at checking NATO expansion. However, I do not think that Russia would invade a NATO member country because NATO has immense capabilities – NATO is many countries together- and Mr Putin is well aware that he will be crushed mercilessly and much quicker than anyone on this forum thinks.
Frozen conflicts and the Kemlin (BBC article):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29078541
.
Of course they should.
The EU has interfered in & destroyed in the internal political system of Ukraine & now all Europe will pay the price, whether its just gas/oil shortages this winter or the 3rd European World War remains to be seen.
Europe should worry about being USA’s puppy. The sanctions harm the already fragile European Economy but Europe still follows USA’s orders… Don’t forget that the west intervened in Ukraine and bear responsibility for today’s situation.
We should be worried about EU’s spineless bureaucrats who do everything USA tells them to. It’s time Europe becomes independent, and this may happen with, not against Russia.
Pier Dal Ri: Visit Russia, before Russia visits you.
Instead of investing on growth and development , setting aside Europe’s wrecked economy, East European countries are urged to spend their budgets on armaments which (of whatever nature or quantity) are not adequate to protect them from a nuclear power with modern armies and vast resources. As a result poverty and recession will become permanent ………
It would be great if Russia intervened in Belgium….demolished a few pointless buildings and went back east.
They have been doing it in the Baltics since the collapse of the USSR, and it is a SERIOUS problem!
Yes they can and that is why all we should support Ukraine.
Anyone remembers what USA did when “sovereign” cuba switch its allegiance to USSR? if Ukraine enters NATO, US missiles might be closer to Moscow then cubans were to Washington.
Russia’s policy so far has been an opportunistic one. It was the case in 2008 with south Ossetia and now again in Ukraine/Crimea. The Maidan revolution created instability, a void, rapidly fielded by Russian troops.
If Russia sticks to this tactic of hybrid warfare, seizing opportunities when they appear, we could witness similar case of ‘cover invasion’ in the future.
If the currents trends within the EU keeps going this way: rising euro-skepticism, economical difficulties, lack of common foreign policy, … The conditions for such opportunity could be gather and Russia might play the right move at the right time in order to increase its interests in the region (I’m looking at the Baltic States here).
18/05/2017 Paul Scharre, Director of the Future of Warfare Initiative at the Center for a New American Security, has responded to this comment.
some country are for sure worried all the ex-soviet union countries with regions that have majority Russians are a potential Crimea effect places. I have been in Latvia and some south parts of the country were almost all russians may prefer to be russia and that is very dangerous in my opinion. every day I feel we are 1 step closer to a big conflict (WW) and I hate it.
Off course not. Russia would never attack Finland of the Baltic States. They are part of the NATO and of the EU. Putin knows his limits.
I always been anti-conflict and anti wars. I was strongly opposed to the war of Iraq back in 2001 / 2002. I don’t like to hear sentences like “USA invades, so Russia should when it is about safety of Russians living in Ukraine?” USA is full of s**t for invading countries but so would be Russia for doing the same. and safety of people has been an argument for 2nd world war german invasions dont you get it its a war for power of the great will the people die for nothing.
Xavier Schoumaker So If I understand your point it is OK for USA-NATO-EU to bomb Serbia (Yugoslavia) in order to “protect” the Albanians in Kosovo from the “oligarch-killer Milosevic” and declare it an independent state but it is not right for Putin to protect its own people who speak Russian and they just live in a territory which was given to Ukraine.. As for the Orthodox religion remember that you mention it first and my question is why all the Orthodox countries are in target by the “superior” Westerns? First Serbia, then Greece and now Russia.. And remember that the Greek goverment is still supporting your policies in contrast with the will of Greek people and the good of Greek nation ( talking about the embargo on agricultural products)..
Whenever it would be needed for maintaining peace
Russia will interfere if NATO continues interferes in Russians yard
When does the EU plan to give the opportunity to all its citizens, in every state of this union, a referendum on whether we want to be ruled by another country? The leader of that country, the USA, does not have our vote to take over leadership and rule here.And being the leadership front of NATO does not give them a right to be leaders and interventionists in our European affairs? The USA is not Europe. We are not a part of the USA. Europe must inform Washington to look elsewhere to play a takeover game, as the European people, who pay the taxes to keep this show on the road, do not want them anywhere near our policy making. And democracy dictates that we must have the right to vote on any kind of acceptance of colonisation. Which is what the USA is doing through the back door.
Direct Democracy for Europe in order to keep out interlopers who wish to rule by stealth.
Dont think so. No reason to do that.
Why should they? It is rather for the EU/DE to explain to us- they are the planers!
Here is another reminder of the overall aim of the EEC/EU as an “ECONOMIC UNION”. Please visit the original 1958 founding statement and compare it with the present reality and also read the “NATO/US” latest 10 year Mission Statement:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/11/19/us-nato-summit-concept-factbox-idUSTRE6AI5JM20101119
By coincidence, both orgs have now 28 Members (but not identical countries) and it appears the new “MAASTRICHT enlarged EU28” is designed to adopt NATO/US policies and NATO’s Anders Rasmussen is on its way to become the de facto spokesperson for both organizations’! It’s like climate change- change by minute increments- nobody realizes it- until too late!
Sorry EU/US/Corporate/Nato- no ways!
Clearly, it was NATO who ‘obliged’ its members to the 2% defense spending- not the EU! That is not only devious or dangerous but a total deviation from its original aim. “Adaption” is the excuse for all these undemocratic changes and Poland an obliging & none critical ambassador! So far, super staunch PRO EU, PRO NATO, ANTI Russia and the new EU ex COMECON supporters are EU’s flag bearers!
What would possible solutions and advise to the opposing EU parties in the EUP be?
* Don’t fall for all the scaremongering by US’s Westpoint, HM Sandhurst, MBA Harvard, Stanford academics or the EC/EU and its long arm- the DE!
* Do not enlarge the EU by steamrolling EU15 opinions. The 13 latest Members were given premature EU membership. To risk a war and more hardships to collect Ukraine as amember & other “bankrupted” ones is not worth the costs- it can wait to self correct itself or evolution!
I am against such reckless & militant enlargement, but advocate urgently either:
* an EU internal reform- a motion of “no confidence” to correct the present ill informed trajectory- by a coalition of the willing & enlightened!
* an “anti enlargement” drive- meaning a shrinkage possibly back to 15 or as desired- together with a serious shrinkage of its bureaucracy,
* a demand for a referendum at home by every member who wishes to reconsider his “altered membership”- to either leave and start from scratch- with a new constitution to counter any unwanted & illegal alterations!
@Xavier Schoumaker First I am not of Orthodox faith, for that matter, I dont belong to any religion organizations. Second, and what about Tchetchens invading Dagistan etc. and Georgians negating rights of South Ossetians and Abkhazians, etc. but speaking about Ukraine, what about all those Russians living in Ukraine, and being killed by Ukraine army, what about coup d’tat made by nationalists without democratic majority support that made illegal government, what about votes of Russians in Ukraine (which are majority in those regions that demand autonomy. Why is Federal organization of Ukraine worse than war, etc?
And in the end, for example if Belgians were being attacked around the world, isn’t it logical that Belgium would react in some manner, especially if some other world power intervened against them; and if so, how is that different with what happened in Ukraine?
Why EU doesn’t condemn “Nobel pace prize winner” Obama and USA for intervening around the world without valid cause? Why is it OK for USA, or even EU, but not for Russia, or China, etc?
INTER…
I respect Putin only because he doesn’t licks butt of usa,what many other countries do.Peace to all the people,but usa government is the terrorist,not those who protect their own believes and families
Wladyslaw, protect their believes in other country>
Will Putin move against neighbouring states? If the benefit outweighs the cost then yep, he would without a moment’s hesitation. However, lets look at the west’s track record over the past few decades and the result…..Panama,..political vacuum, Afghanistan, …political vacuum, Iraq, political vacuum, Syria, a mess, Somalia…doesn’t even have a functioning govt. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a country that the west has moved into and improved.
Russia support the real neo-nazi in Europe : party of extreme-right Jobbik or Front National… in fact, Russians ARE the new nazis, so we should stop them !
Sylvain Duret You should be ?areful with your words.
p.s. you guys are so brainwashed
I am not sure why my comment has been posted as a response to someone. It was not meant to be:
Yes they should be as long as they are not NATO members. Destabilising the neighbours is a standard Russian policy aimed at checking NATO expansion. However, I do not think that Russia would invade a NATO member country because NATO has immense capabilities – NATO is many countries together- and Mr Putin is well aware that he will be crushed mercilessly and much quicker than anyone on this forum thinks.
Frozen conflicts and the Kemlin (BBC article):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29078541
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia?
This is total paranoia fuelled by the extreme fears of those who think that Russians are not human beings. I think the only way for that to be cured is a trip to Russia, for example – Crimea, to see that normal people live there, not some creatures from the underworld, occupied and controlled by Putin, under the barrel of a gun. This is such a misunderstood country because in the West it is still perceived as a communist regime (which it is not). If you let the fear of the unknown take over you, then your mind can create monsters. I think the “danger” of a Russian invasion is such a monster. How long is Europe going to be a slave of such artificially created fears, based only on ignorance about Russian people and the complete disregard of their rights as human beings? They are not different from any other European citizen – they too want to live in security and strive for prosperity and happiness. Why are their wishes not respected by EU and USA? So it is all right for the Russian ethnic minority in Ukraine to be beheaded or shred to pieces by bombs because their lives are dispensable, as Obama said? How do you feel when Muslim extremists think your life is not worth anything because you are a Christian, so you have to be beheaded? Would you agree with them? Yet it is required for Russia to agree with that and contribute to the slaughter of innocent civilians? EU wants Russia to be happy that the blood of children is being spilled in Ukraine? Europe has to wake up! It needs to take into consideration also the point of view of Eastern Ukranians on how they want their country to be run, not only hear those in the West. It should treat all Ukranians equally and not discriminate those who oppose their government when they do not feel it cares about them. Even more, it has ordered the bombing and killing of unarmed people. Why is Europe supporting such an authoritarian government and not defending those who are oppressed? I cannot get over that clash of values – Europe wants Russia to recognise that the lives of people are meaningless and can be destroyed, in order to pave the way for European Ukraine? This is just sick and makes EU look like a psychopath who likes killing people as a sport! Is that the right position to defend? If no, then should you be afraid of a Russian intervention?
I have been to Russia. And the regime in Russia at the moment is now officially consolidated authoritarianism. It also the country with the most convictions by the Court of Human Rights in 2013 and came second in 2012. There has been a conviction against the Russian state recently on the Khordokovsky case.
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Russia has NEVER intervened Ukraine. People who listen to Barak Obama are as ignorant or even more ignorant than him, who sends fleet to Bielorussia coast, places Ural mountains close to Kiev and mentions a “Russian accent” as an evidence of the presence of the Russian army in Ukraine. For the information of those who did not go to school: 80% of Ukrainians are Russian speakers.
Is there any official provments of Russian intervantion in Ukrain? Or this debats based on west zombation by media?
There are satellite photos, photos taken on the ground, eye-witness accounts from Ukraine, accounts from hospitals in Eastern Russia (Pskov) having been overwhelmed with injured soldiers, their wives and mothers NGO’s looking for the soldiers and being told that they are on leave, graves with recent dates on and mothers and wives receiving the men back in coffins, tweets and FB postings from Russian soldiers that show Ukraine as location etc…
Putinstan zombies
Russians are not in Ukraine! Kiev neo-nazi death squads are being destroyed by the rebels of the eastern Ukraine!
A democraticaly elected President refuses to sign the EU Association Agreement and then the problems start, in the end violence is provoked by whoever, there are even reports that both the police and the protesters were shot by the same type of bullets which would indicate another acteur, but one hiding in the shadows and wanting to do everything possible to prevent a peacefull resolution between the then Janukovich Government and the Protesters, in the end the President has to leave his own country and a coup maker Government takes over which gladly signs the EU Association Agreement, then Russia which is seeing this unfold decides to protect its interests by taking over the Crim on which it has Military bases. And now the Russian minority in the Ukraine is fighting for control over its areas with the support of Russia. Ukraines neighbours should be just as worried of EU & US meddling as they are of Russian meddling, in the Ukraine we have real World proof of the consequences of the criminal behaviour of so called Superpowers & Empires.
The government in Kiev was elected after an election and … protests are very common in a democratic environment. They are not banned, as they are in Russia, and protesters do not get put on trial for “terrorism”, as they do in Russia. Protest is a democratic right protected by law in a democratic society.
Ask yourself this question. Do you really want to lose your country and possibly your life for fat guys to make more money off your misery? If so, why? Is it you are you all truly ready to accept, so easily, such a ridiculous scenario because those men in dark places want to use you to make their family rich at your cost.
Globalist are on the march and it’s us they want to use to get what they are after. Here is Alex Jones giving it some air time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Wa3ImxjZo
Actually it is NATO, as usual, that has invaded and overthrown a democratically elected government in a ‘coup d’tat’. Ukraine is just being used as a pawn by the Western debt banking ‘Order’ posing as governments, in order to get to the independent Russian central bank, a country with virtually no public debt.
: ) Nah, who’s afraid of USSR 2.0 ? They just brought “joy, happiness and justice” to the “enslaved masses” by “reactionary” capitalists.
No, I do not think so – See recent article “Renewable Energy in Ukraine” from September 2014 http://www.folkecenter.net/gb/news/fc/renewable-energy-in-ukraine/
Aleksandros Ho megas, you enumerated all the right arguments. I completely agree with you.
USA, EU elites and their servant media became moral corpses in my eyes during this crisis when I saw their hypocrisy and hysterical, unjust and misleading propaganda.
No. I do not think so – See recent article “Renewable Energy in Ukraine” from September 2014 http://www.folkecenter.net/gb/news/fc/renewable-energy-in-ukraine/
Dear Anna Fotyga,
thank you for replying to my question and explaining the 2% EU defense– errrm- NATO- set ‘obligation target’- it was much appreciated!
Attached is a data sheet of the 2013 NATO member contributions. If one is strict, than only 4 counties meet this obligation- US (4,4%) UK(2,4%) Greece (2.3%) and Estonia (2.00%)- France, Turkey & Poland follow close behind with ~1.8%. There may be hope, that some countries value sanity before blindly following NATO’s ill-advice. Let the US do the passing with flying colors & cheer them on to destroy their Dollar!
http://online.wsj.com/articles/nato-leaders-to-vow-to-lift-military-spending-1409832341
May I however respectfully disagree and correct your statement on: “investing” into the military sector as job creator. Spending on education creates approximately more than two and one-half times more jobs than “wasting” similar funds into an anti human industry- this is proven by several investigations- one report is attached:
http://www.ciponline.org/research/entry/military-spending-poor-job-creator
As a MEP of the ECR in the EUP it is disappointing that “Europe Can Reform” follows NATO/US/Corporate doctrines- which is ancient militaristic- at present alarmist, but not reformist in nature. It is supportive of the global neo liberal corporate agenda.
It is also unfortunate that the description so many political parties select for themselves do not do justice to their actual political intentions and directions- they are therefore misleading.
Very hypocritical question, especially asked after the Europe’s “successful intervention” in the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Learn to pay your own security bills and worry less for security risks that you already handed over to someone else to handle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ozdz7fMdXI&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0ozdz7fMdXI&has_verified=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKWp3yyIi9w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzGo35QYvP0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htBPLuzM01A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_mHDrTYlv4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znXpmeV2y8M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuZdgcDOldI
Yvetta, none of the court cases of the European Court of Human Rights does not justify the Ukrainian government’s armed military suppression and killing of its own people. This is an authoritarian rule. And yes, that government has branded those who do not agree with it as terrorists because the name of its murder campaign is “Anti-Terrorist Operation”. We know very well who are the terrorists – those who kill innocent people to further their own agenda which is not supported by the local population. None of this can be attributed to the pro-independence fighters. This sounds more like what the state army and privately funded illegal squads of Ukrainian nationalists are doing in the East – mass murdering of all kinds of people (often using internationally banned weapons), abductions and torture, including journalists. This is what terrorism is.
As to the satellite photos, they cannot be verified. They can be photos made over Russian fields, for example. No one can say for sure. Also, it is claimed that the little dots on them are Russian tanks or BUK missile systems. How was that established when all you can see is a small black dot on the picture? Very inconclusive evidence. This is probably the reason why all that “proof” was not presented officially at the UN. The international monitors at the Russian-Ukrainian border have not reported any activities such as border crossings of troops and tanks. The only “invasion” was that of trucks with humanitarian aid. I wonder why the compassionate and democratic EU is not sending any such aid to Eastern Ukraine, knowing that there is a humanitarian crisis there – no food, no water or electricity? May be it also, like Yatsenyuk, considers the Russian ethnic minority as sub-humans, not deserving to be alive?
About the soldiers in Russian hospitals – did you see any interviews with them? These were Ukrainian soldiers complaining how they have been abandoned by their army commanders and government. This is why they went to Russian hospitals to treat their injuries.
You seem to be confused as to what elections took place in Ukraine. They were presidential. Only the president was elected but the ministers are former Maidan demonstrators. At that time the parliament was surrounded by armed protesters and some of them were inside. This is how that government came to power – MPs voted under the barrel of a gun and no surprise – the vote was 100% “yes” because everyone knew what would happen to them, if they dared voting “no”. This is nothing like a democratically elected government but an armed coup. At the same time, it is not only the Maidan protesters who wanted their own government. The demonstrators in the East also wanted the same but they were denied that which is the reason for their resistance now. None of the Western media showed those protests at the time. They were also peaceful and democratic.
I wonder, if Russia is an authoritarian country as you claim, why are Russians the happiest they have ever been, including the “occupied” Crimeans? Why do they keep voting for Putin? Why do popularity polls show such an overwhelming approval of his policies? I know why the anti-Russian countries are so annoyed – because they cannot accept the change in the world order. Their linear thinking cannot take in anything different from what they have programmed their mindset to think, i.e. Russia is a communist country ruled by a dictator. Well, this picture will eventually be replaced with reality but how many people will need to die until that happens?
Hi Maia, I think that you are a very confused lady. It is Russia that is under debate here and not Ukraine. And also I don’t like how you have twisted my words. It is Russia that has invaded Ukraine and not the other way round. I never said that Ukraine is all right. There are ways of dealing with such things. But these are internal Ukrainian issues and it is not down to any outsider country to intervene. Only by international consensus. Unilateral military action is invasion. Likewise, there are democratic ways to express one’s disagreement with the government. To take up arms and engage in violence is not one of them. And this local population you are referring to, they look like professionally trained soldiers and not how you describe them as the innocent locals. They even managed to bring down an aircraft flying at 30K feet. Can you do that? And where did they get the equipment from?
I have not watched any of the UN’s meetings but Russia should have been expelled by now if the UN was working as it should. There is overwhelming evidence of the presence of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, including from the soldiers themselves who have posted things on Facebook and other social media. You can read the latest here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29249643
And you can read many other articles on the subject. Yes, a lot of what I have been reading is from NGO’s and it is not flattering to Russia at all.
I am aware that Putin enjoys 80% popularity in Russia right now. That’s not because he is the most democratic leader on the planet. Quite the opposite his actions are in response of the Russian public’s views and opinions which are of imperialistic nature and nostalgia for the Soviet past. This is why he is so popular. Hitler was also very popular in his time. He was not happy how the German-speaking minorities in Central Europe were treated and on this pretext invaded many countries and killed many people. He was a democratically elected leader.
As you can see, if you read the articles, it very clear that Russia is actively trying to destabilise Ukraine and is acting on an imperialist agenda. You are just making excuses…Equally, have you got proof that people in Ukraine voted at gunpoint? In any case, whatever Ukraine may have done it pales in comparison to Russian actions. Russia is the one that is aggressive towards the neighbours and this is why it is under debate here. Russia is the threat at an international level. Not Ukraine.
Should oil rich countries be afraid of US/western intervention?
How much of a coincidence is it that everywhere US/European countries intervene, there is oil and/or gas and/or other resources at stake?
The leader of any such country is always liable to declared a dictator violating human rights, if failing to sign treaties the West puts in front of him.
Dictators that do what the West wants are alright. As long as they keep doing so.
Right now, there are a few dozen dictatorships and faux-democracies you don’t hear any western leader complain about.
How dare Putin deny the benefits and profits of Russian oil and gas to western corporations, like it was in the early nineties?
YES!I am from East Europe and i know what we are dealing with when it comes to soviet mutants.
yes, Moldova
Hi, has my response to Maia gone through? I got an error message. Thanks.
Hi Yvetta, sorry your message has not gone through. We have no record of it. Which kind of error message did you get?
Not to worry. I will type up something quickly. It said there is a programming error with the page. Thanks for responding anyway.
Latvia,Lietuva,Estonia…Poland.But we are too strong for Russian army,so only nuclear bomb can stop us.They remember us.Who destroyed communism in eastern Europe?We do not ask ,how many enemies, only where they are ? :) (y)
The Soviet Union imploded, it having ignored building a true middle class. It had nothing to do with the Baltic States and Poland.
Are you people still sheltering those old militia-men that collaborated with Nazi Germany in rounding up Jews? Wasn’t the collaboration so bad that the Baltic States declared ‘jew-free’ somewhere in 1942?
Those who collaborated here were hanged…
Yes, Russia should be worried about USA-NATO intervention. After all it was them who helped Neo-Nazis and fascists take over Ukraine in a bloody coup.
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/09/25/will-russia-china-hold-fire-war-alternative-paul-craig-roberts/
Russia is right in defending its interests and the wishes of the people there in Ukraine. The West should learn to respect the wishes of the people, be it in Eastern Ukraine, Catalonia or anwhere else
White House: Trump expects Russia to return Crimea Ukraine
New #Crimean #War? CASUS BELLI
In postwar history, annexation of a part of a sovereign
country’s territory to aggressor state has no precedent.