Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU has warned that Russia is preparing a “full-scaled offensive operation” against his country. Relations between Ukraine and its Eastern neighbour have been on a knife-edge since the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014. In early November, NATO began reporting that “multiple columns” of Russian tanks, artillery and troops had crossed the border into Eastern Ukraine.
International attitudes are increasingly hardening against Russia. At the recent G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, Russian President Vladimir Putin left early to “get some sleep” after coming under intense pressure from other leaders.
But why are relations deteriorating again? In September, a ceasefire was agreed between the government in Kiev and the (allegedly Russian-backed) rebels in Eastern Ukraine. And, following months of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the EU, a deal was finally reached on 30 October in the gas price dispute between Gazprom and Naftogaz, the state-owned energy companies of Russia and Ukraine respectively. So, why are sabres being rattled once again?
We recently spoke to Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Energy, Igor Didenko, and asked him if the recent energy deal would mean normalisation of relations between the two countries could begin. He suggested that, even though a deal had been reached, there were still important structural issues left to resolve in Ukraine-Russia energy relations:
After six months of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, with the European Commission as an intermediary, we have reached a solution that will help everybody survive the winter. European citizens will receive deliveries of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory, and the Ukrainian people will also have enough gas from the East – because if you have been following the latest developments about the reverse flow of gas deliveries to Ukraine from Europe you would recall there have been some problems, especially concerning Hungary.
But there is a systemic problem in the commercial relationship between the Ukrainian state-run energy company, Naftogaz, and the Russian part-state-owned energy company Gazprom. Currently, the two companies are before the International Arbitration Court in Stockholm.
From the Ukrainian side, we have always proposed to renegotiate, renegotiate, renegotiate. And we have openly told to our [Russian] friends what are the crucial points for us; what we think is unfair economically in terms of the relationship between these two big and very important energy companies. Because the triangular relationship between gas consumers, transporters and suppliers must be equal, and everybody must feel that there is no unfair preference given to one of these corners.
What will it take to secure meaningful peace in Eastern Ukraine? Despite the September ceasefire and the recent Gazprom-Naftogaz energy deal, why are relations between Moscow and Kiev deteriorating yet again? Should Ukraine prepare itself for a “full-scale” invasion from its Eastern neighbour? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policy-makers and experts for their reactions.
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This bunch of mad men at the head of our union, the ones who claimed this set up was to keep peace for us all, are going to plunge us into war with Russia. On the same kind of lie they plunged us into war with Iraq and others. And as no one I have spoken to, and as the websites imply, there is not a desire by the people for it, Where then will they get their fighting men? I suspect it can only mean conscription.
http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=57241
Are you European men and women out there ready to die for the US/EU expansionism? If so, you will be the same kind of fodder as the millions who were used and died in WW1. Good God these people never stop do they? How many of their sons and relatives will be affected? Want to take a guess they get the first plane out of here.
It is not for the expansionism, Catherine, it is a matter of principle just about the same same, GB & France declared war on Nazzi Germany for, which ultimately lead to its demise. And no it is not the €U leaders who lead us to war. The new Russia – nationalist, revanchist & revisonist, undermines not only the European order (where we used to think war is not possible), but also the World Order, as we know it – based on peaceful rise within the World Economy, albeit under American leadership, if not hegemony. But to get more to the point – it is not in Putin’s or “his Russia’s” interest to go out onto an all-out, full scale war, which he arrogantly admitted to Barroso – simply the cost of the international backlash would render it unfeasible. This is why the Russians formatted a low-scale asymmetric guerrilla type warfare to just pass under the radar of “full intervention”, that would trigger massive sanctions from the West.However, the cost of intervention has already grown stupendously to Russia anyway- stalled growth, fallen rouble, fallen oil prices, difficult access to debt markets (bonds next to junk), investors leaving – which proves Putin’s policy didn’t work. Vl. Lukhin, the Ombdsman o the Russian Admin admitted “What’s the use of getting Crimea or even Donbas, if we lose Ukraine” This is exactly the point – they lost Ukraine, lost credibility in the eyes of their neighbors & the West & lost whatever economic growth they were capable to generate….Was it worth it? Not quite, I would say. And If Putin’s regime feels cornered enough or appearing to lose face at home, they may go even further & take even greater risks? Which would then resemble one very angry gentleman with a moustache, taking one desperate risk after another, until he finally got pinned down..You might ask, at what cost? Horrendous, but what is the alternative – Neville Chamberlaine’s appeasement policy?! Obama & Merkel’s policies are basically right – keep the channels open, talk to Russia & screw the sanctions tighter to show them that the costs increase.
@Kroum Balabanov
Yes it is down to expansionism, the EU started negotiating with Ukraine with the intention of dragging yet another impoverished country onto the EU payroll but they stupidly ignored the Russian interests in this country, not surprisingly Russia saw this as a step too far. The way the EU blindly seeks to expand its empire eastwards it was only a matter of time before Russia put its foot down so this crisis should be of no surprise to anyone
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141769/john-j-mearsheimer/why-the-ukraine-crisis-is-the-wests-fault
..and as for “matters of principle”, throughout history millions of people have died because of someone else’s “matter of principle”
If the ceasefire collapses entirely, then who knows? Putin doesn’t seem to be phased by sanctions, and he is still popular despite Russia’s economic woes. It’s difficult to predict his next move, and he may believe it’s worth the gamble.
The war is possible only if the West keeps pushing for the war. So far the West/Ukraine have been crying “Russian invasion” in average every 4 weeks since July. I’m afraid they have lost their credibility a long time ago.
@kroum balabanov:
You are deluded if you believe in anyway my countrymen are going to die for your deluded idea about nut case fantasies you people there have about being part of the EU with no money and nothing to offer but poverty stricken lumps of flesh. Russia did not create this mess, or Putin, the US/EU, with backing of my deluded leaders did. And it is very easy to prove.
You choose to pretend otherwise and that must be because you have a vested interest in this propaganda and ultimate war.
PO and find other stooges to play as pawns in your war game. We don’t want any part of you or it.
Yes of course, the war is already going on, what a dumb question!
such a useless propaganda ! we europeans are ashamed of EU acting as a NATO USA slave against our own interests, breaking the peace we kept by agreement made in the 90’s with Russia on not pushing NATO further and not touching Ukraine . there will be no TAFTA TISA or whatever , you’re sweet dreaming “debatingeurope” .
Let’s celebrate the anniversary of 1914 with a new war in 2014 ^_^
And the same sheeps repeat the same pro war “words of wisdom”…
Academi/blackwaters troops are already there to enforce Kiev’s nazis, everybody knows what you’re doing , you felon .
Desperate Putin trolls earning their paychecks… “we europeans”… right. >:o
I’ve also wondered if they’re getting paid but somehow I don’t think they need to. There still are parts of the world where nationalism is the norm…
Let Ukraine solve its own mess it created with support of the USA. We have more urgent issues to address in the EU.
Frank Legon, send us a postcard from Moscow. So said, Putin is just copying the old Soviet methods, including propaganda based on “disinformacja”. Read any book on foreign policy in the Soviet Union and you find everything Putin is doing now, including a fair amount of lies. And the final economic and social implosion.
You’re describing NATO and the American propaganda circus? And the western world is financially bankrupt.
Of course… and EU has to help Ukraine to rebuild it’s armed force with weapong and system… if not with real boots support (almost intelligence, training, SF).
Direct support is not possibile because the value in game (a clash with Russia is the faster way to a big continental war…), but indirect (but hard and real) support is necessary to stop the expansionism of Russia.
Well, if Ukraine does NOT prepare for a full scale invasion, they will have very nasty days ahead. And that would mean their Ministry of Defence and President are not very competent. The question is not about if, but when and how big they are coming. And thus how to respond, from Ukraine and in general from the EU perspective. I am also a bit miffed by the complete absence of reaction from the Council of Europe. Aren’t Russia and Ukraine members? And isn’t Russia’s action a flagrant violation of the Council founding treaty?
Ukraine should stop killing civilians, now.
Everybody should prepare … .
Should Ukraine prepare for a “full-scale” Russian invasion?
Probably not. However, keep in mind that russians are mastering the “Not war-Not peace” strategy.
Yes.And the rest of Europe should help them.
Ukraine never killed any civilians, dearest George Titkov, “their neighbors” invaded their country
The only war going on here is the war on your mind and the pro-NATO mass media are winning
Ukraine can’t prepare for a full scale Russian invasion just as Poland could not prepare for a full scale Russian invasion 75 years ago.
Question is, since Russia had already openly occupied Crimea, why are they now pretending that they have nothing to do with aggression on other parts of Ukraine, and are copying Milosevic, so Putin is in this case hiding behind Russian minority in Ukraine? Maybe example of Serbia walking free, not guilty and not an aggressor on Bosnia and Herzegovina has something to do with it? Soon history books will have also an answer if Serbia was an aggressor on Croatia and if not, both cases are giving green light to as many Putin’s as you want in the future all around the globe.
After loosing so much territory and zones of influence with the fall of the soviet union,russia tries to cling to whatever is left for it to grab giving as excuse that it has a russian or pro russian population to protect…….It is now a matter of pride and nostalgia of past glory….A wounded bear could be very dangerous……
Sanctions will hit the people more than the state and will force russia to look east for other partners and will weaken more a fragile european economy.
This is not a Russian armoured division – just a few Russian soldiers on holiday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTjn4beiqYA
Of course Russia has invaded Donbass. The Russian army has invaded Ukraine with a grad hellstorm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7xyJOQ0pac#t=11
… and with thousands of Russian soldiers (several hundred now in coffins).
There are satellite images; there are many thousands of eye witness accounts; there are hundreds of Russian-marked artillary pieces bearing down on Ukrainian military positions. Obviously, Russia has made a tactical decision not to occupy the whole of Ukraine (or “Novorossiya”) so far. But the Kremlin has deliberately destabilized, invaded and created a permanent cold(ish) conflict in Ukraine in order to undermine Ukraine’s democratic progress.
What can we in Europe and the US do about it? Frankly: not much, besides supporting Ukraine in overcoming Kremlin destabilization efforts (modernizing institutions, fighting corruption, investing in infrastructure, expanding trade). We should continue to progress tightening sanctions on Russia while the Kremlin continues its onslaught on Ukraine (there must be some incentive for Russia to relax its hostile operations). Perhaps we could supply the Ukrainian military with more defensive equipment, e.g.
– a few thousand Panzerfausts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf_48txYGIA
– maybe a few dozen Mantises to defend sensitive positions against grad and mortar attacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0_XUS0Sfpg
– Trackfire unmanned sentry guns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77CXpTD_rDA
… etc
so exactly Poland 75 years ago did not happen prepare….Now Russia wants to rule the whole world.
You mean the genocidal warmongers USA want to rule the world.
If you mean prepare to evacuate, yes.
Tell the Ukrainian government to leave Novorossia alone and stop killing their citizens…
That might help to lower the tensions ;)
those who think they are not under their own governments propaganda, whichever the country , are fools and fooled . who spreads the war worldwide, Afghanistan, Irak, Syria, etc. and now at the heart of Europe , who’s the expansionist ? is this war in Mexico threatening the US border ? try to think for yourself once .
Come on……..really?? Nato is the problem not Russia.
Else we’re tired of mr. Putin , but..the day after..??
…imaginary invasions, take some psychotropic pills
That is crazy , Putin is never going to do that . I believe Putin is going to do actions just to keep conflict alive . Because of this conflict he is popular and he can simple stay on power and get Russians to support him . He is not going to take a big step to risk power loss in Russia . I know that story from Yugoslavia , you just start conflict and you are a great Fhrer and people are blind behind you because you are going to give them national victory. I don’t think Putin is mad , he is not going to do madness , I still think with Putin you can make a deal .
WTF ?? The stupidity of this article and what it entails is scary to say the least .. How does a thermo nuclear WW3 sound like ?? Of course not .. Stop enciting war and violence !!
For all the BIGOTS drowning in their own denial and ignorance, there seems to be many on this page, get in touch with the FACTS and REALITY of how Ukraine got ITSELF where it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWkfpGCAAuw
Europe should prepare to develop infrastructure s we don’t have to be Russias energy bitch. And yes we should back Ukraine even with force if necessary.
Absolutely not. The oligarchic regime that sells the Ukrainian people out so American corporations can profit should be opposed. Say no to the criminal oligarchs Poroshenko and Yatseniuk.
Everything is possible.. Russian’s actions is unpredictable
Yes, Russia is getting frustrated that its action in Ukraine has not produced the desired results. Also, things are getting harder and harder in Crimea, as it belongs to Ukraine geographically and has no land access to Russian soil. Putin needs to do something urgently to connect Crimea to Russia by land so he can send supplies. He will have to invade or somehow take more aggressive action in Ukraine.
Ukraine does not exist any more from the point of view of constitutional law. They have unconstitutionally deprived their President of his legal leadership. Therefore the country has no government and parliament any more. Their laws and decrees are unlawful and every person in the territory of the former Ukraine is morally obliged to reject them. The so called government and parliament of “Ukraine” are private clubs of some demagogues who make themselves believe that they have legal power to lead a supposed country. They really only play a puppet theater. Their power exists in the unlawful, organized terrorism of the military forces of the former Ukraine. They could not do this without the strong political support of the USA and EU. This way the EU became a participant of the fascist terror.
European public opinion is mislead and is the prisoner of the liberal world media. More than 2 decades after the end of the Soviet Union they recreate a false myth of an evil Russian superpower against the whole world. The reality is Ukraine collapsed politically because it was never a viable state in the first place. Russia is interested in this situation absolutely legitimally. It is natural it intends to defend the interest of millions of Russian people in a neighbouring country especially when that country does not exist any more. It was not Russia who betrayed democracy and played a game of lethal demagogy in this case but the media and leaders of the USA and EU: Merkel, Cameron, Obama and the rest. And journalists from Reuters and several other media and news agencies. I am sorry to say but hey proved to be a disgusting, rotten, fascist gang here and not Putyin or the Russian leadership.
Even if Russia invades Ukraine , the EU should not get trigger happy. But we should get ready for the unthinkable anyway.
Preparedness is a must.
Of course sanctions should be kicked into overdrive DESPITE corporate protest to strangle Russia faster, so as the more ground they gain the more they suffer.
The only language Putin seems to understand is coercion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Revolution_of_1956
It seems that some horrible internal demons are haunting the author of this question… It simply does not correspond to reality – Russia does not want to invade any countries. It only responds to calls for help and protection from the people in Ukraine and acts in their defence in whatever way is practically possible. The centre of attention should be what the Eastern Ukrainian people want, not the Russian reactions. Those people’s needs are ignored and this is the main reason which provokes Russia to act in any way. Keep tolerating human rights abuses in Ukraine and you will continue having problems with Russia.
Hitler also invaded neighbouring countries under the pretences of protecting German speakers’ rights there. International relations and law are not subject to local verbal understandings and barter. There are international organisations that could have helped those people if there had been the need indeed. At the end of the day, if those people needed Russia so badly, they could have simply relocated there without the need to murder anyone. Russia’s action is all about land grabbing and expansionism.
Russians have not murdered anyone, it is the Ukrainian army that has been doing that indiscriminately and bombing residential areas with banned weapons, in order to inflict more death, destruction and terror among local civilians. The Ukrainian Russians could not have relocated, like you suggest, because their home is Ukraine and it has always been. It is where their ancestors came from and where they belong. This is THEIR land. They are 8 million. They deserve to be heard and respected as citizens. Democracy says it has to be the will of the people but unfortunately, the international organisations you mentioned couldn’t care less about them, no matter what dangers they face, simply because they are ethnic Russians. This is a typical example of discrimination based on ethnic origin. Ukrainian authorities were aggressive to Crimeans, threatening to control their lives and steal their freedom. This intention was proved later with the mass murdering campaign they undertook in Eastern Ukraine, just to crush people’s free will. If someone is aggressive to you and threatens you, would you just stay and do nothing? Wouldn’t you ask the police for help? How would you feel, if the police did not want to even hear you and left you alone? Yet you expect the Russian minority to do just that and not take any measures for their safety when the international community doesn’t want to care about their concerns, let alone address them? This is hypocrisy! They were subjected to inhuman treatment which no one can put up with. Poroshenko behaves like Hitler killing the jews! Russia has invaded Ukraine only in the paranoic obsessions of the minds of Russian haters, just like, according to them, Putin has shot down the Malaysian plane and is responsible for every evil in the world. Your logic is: if it Russian, then it must be bad; if it is bad, then it must be Russian. This is exactly the same kind of attitude as racism, only it is based on ethnicity, rather than skin colour. Both are crimes and violate the International Convention for Human Rights.
Maia, sorry, but I don’t know what racism you are talking about. I think that you are losing your mind from the propaganda you have been exposed to. I didn’t know that Russians and Ukrainians belong to a different race. Is this what you are being taught in Russia? They both are Slavonian peoples and their languages are almost similar. The excuses you are providing also don’t make sense: “Ukrainian authorities were aggressive to Crimeans, threatening to control their lives and steal their freedom. This intention was proved later with the mass murdering campaign they undertook in Eastern Ukraine”. You realise that something like this would get thrown out of court if said and if you wrote it in a school essay, you would get…a lovely zero. You also throw a number of accusations about racism and threats going on in Ukraine but you never provide specific examples. I have heard the exact opposite of what you say. Also, in the past I have posted to you a number of articles that contradict your claims but you always disappear as soon as I do that. And they are credible articles because they quote public figures, organisations, open letters etc. But your speak is always very vague and fanaticised but does not actually contain anything of much substance. The Russian side is being estimated to be responsible for much worse atrocities than the Ukrainian, which is trying to defend its territory as best as it can:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30126207
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29991777
I can’t wait to hear your comments on these specific articles, Maia.
I said DISCRIMINATION based on ETHNICITY which is the same kind of attitude as racism. I did not say that Russians and Ukrainians are a different race. You just don’t pay attention.
You can never find the information you need, if you rely only on CNN, BBC or Euronews, for example. They are biased towards Ukraine. You need also to see a balancing point of view, such as RT and CCTV to understand what the other channels are hiding from you.
I know how many civilians have been killed in the war but your article does not clarify that this is as a result of the Ukrainian army shelling residential areas. This is the part that has been hidden from you. As to the rebels, the Western propaganda media do not show how they help and protect locals and the support they enjoy from them. Such media want to twist the truth by hiding these facts and never giving any interviews with rebels or local people that might suggest that the anti-government fighters are actually far from terrorists. They are ordinary people who don’t kill innocent civilians but instead help them as they are part of them. There is no occupying Russian army there and the only terrorists are the Ukrainian forces. There is a serious lack of information about the locals’ point of view in Western media covering the Ukrainian conflict. I wonder why?
Another side of the truth hidden by your chosen sources of information is the threats towards ethnic Russians in Ukraine which, as I said, materialised in the Ukrainian civil war in the East. If Crimeans had not taken measures for their safety as soon as they did, there would have been a war and bloodshed there, too. It is ridiculous to claim that they were invaded and subdued against their will when they actually welcomed the self-defense forces who protected them from possible Ukrainian attacks. Crimeans were happy that finally someone listened to them, they could be free to choose their future and to be part of Russia again (as they have always been before 1991). Has there been any update from BBC on Crimea about the life of locals now and how happy they are? No, because it does not tally with their hostile anti-Russian narrative. Doesn’t it seem that all media have suddenly and mysteriously forgotten about the Malaysian plane crash? May be they have found the truth and want to hide it as usual, as it turns out the Ukrainians may have shot the plane? How embarrassing!
I don’t have time to look for internet sources to back every word I write as I usually watch TV, rather than reading about the news online or in newspapers. You can do your own Google searches, if you want. I don’t remember to have seen any links in your previous posts.
Maia, the quality of news reporting has been debated here before and I gave my opinion on the specific debate. However, the articles that I have posted to you include information from the UN (which you were quoting as being fair towards Russia before), the Jewish community of the Ukraine (contradicting your claims of Ukrainian Nazism) and the OSCE, of which, as far as I am aware Russia also is a member. Are you effectively saying that all of the above (and perhaps others?) are biased and that Russia is the only country telling the truth? And you are telling me to watch news on Russian state-controlled and Chinese channels, two countries with consolidated authoritarian regimes? There have been a total of 3 people that have resigned publicly from RT news citing biased reporting. Nothing of the sort has happened on the BBC…you actually sound completely brainwashed and have got a little bit of Fatherland (Vaterland!) going on there. As to your crystal ball reading skills : “If Crimeans had not taken measures for their safety as soon as they did, there would have been a war and bloodshed there, too”, no comment. Also…, no comment on your inability for the second time to explain how anyone can discriminate against Russians at the expense of Ukrainians when they are actually both of the same ethnic origin. Thank you, Maia, we have all got the picture! Oh, yes and the BBC had the Malaysia airlines air disaster on its website a few days back but I am not even going to bother to find it for you, because you only believe Putin’s RT and I don’t want to waste your time.
They should
Here is a little reminder of what his agenda is all about. Russia is full of oil and gas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeYV_hhWBsY
And the full scale Russian invasion by the West has long been in the pipeline.
The Nato and Israel are starting the 3 war world (nuclear). They are stupids crazys assasins, we must to save our families and womans, thats all. War.
“The ECC/European Union has helped Europe to move from war and conflict to cooperation and peace.”
Is this DE forum question formulated in a spirit of the founding principles agreed in 1951/58 by the inner six Members? To discuss or even consider war by today’s EU/US/NATO Alliance about an EU/US protégée visa Russia is frightening- how wide is such deviation?
Remember some of these basic historical ideas?
http://www.eumatters.ie/why-was-the-eu-founded-.html
Stop bashing Putin and our Russian friends to please the US/Isral weaponry lobby.
Ukraine government officials should prepare themselves to respond to war crimes and genocide
Yes to your question.
Yes, we must defend our land never the less we are week, not strong.
What about NATO envasion?!
Yes, and EU should back up with military power the regional stability.
it never happens, but NATO invasion occurring in front of our eyes
If we look back to History, Russia only had one leader with a vision: Peter the Great. For some reason, nobody else later on deserved the cognomen of “The Great”! Every time the West Europe walked into the progress, Russia closed itself in their absolutist power. Russia was the last country to free the rural servants. On 19th century still was usual the landlords to abuse the daughters of their servants. When the French revolution appear and with its influences around, Russia and other Eastern countries signed a treaty about the rights of nobles. Marx wrote about Asiatic mode of production, although he was mainly referring China, most of the system was prevalent in Russia. When the West signed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Russia was under a very traumatic and repressive regime of Stalin. Russia copied most of the technology without paying patents rights. Even though they had not spent the money in research on light industry, most goods were on “deficit” as the Russians used to say. Russia lost the battle of ideology and collapsed over their clay feet. The policy of Russia towards European Union is completely bizarre. Taking US as the strategic enemy of Russia, it was most logical to Russia courting EU, try the most possible the economic integration towards a full membership in a medium / far future. EU would become then the most powerful political-economically zone in the world, and the biggest one from Lisbon to Vladivostok. What Putin is done is the opposite. It has been bullying the countries around, Georgia first, Ukraine now passing through all the attacks on economy of the Baltic states. Russia Rouble lost 27% value towards the Euro, the oil got down and probably will go down the 100 $ mark. Difficulties will grow and as in all dictatorships, nothing better than create a foreign enemy to unite the People instead reasoning calm and peacefully. I will not be surprised if Putin runs ahead instead of being rational. Russia will close itself again and will go backward. Right now, Russia do not produce nothing than raw materials. Oil and Gas accounts for 60% of their GDP. This is a typical economy of what we used to call a Third World Economy. I do not believe there will be a new war but, Russia will close itself, generate a cold war for internal use and Russian citizens will believe they are threaten by West again.
Like this page please, you help me: https://www.facebook.com/pages/EU-Politics/203176049701568
New nazist GONERMENT of Ukrainia has only purpose to serve cold war creation.Europe must stop all sanctions and serve peace.
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/11/19/Sorry-Dave-but-Putin-Didnt-Start-the-Ukraine-War-the-EU-Did
Let’s keep it simple. Invading another country is wrong, unless they are actuality attacking your country. Hitler fabricated disputes with neighboring countries based 1. initially on historic German lands with largely German ethnic populations, then 2. Areas with ethic Germans being “oppressed”, then 3. Anywhere where anyone spoke German (ethic German or not) then 4. Anywhere near a German.
Putin deserves his epithet “Putler”. Let’s hope the great Russian people recognise their new Rasputin before more blood is split.
Russia is a great country. How laughable is the proposition that NATO would ever invade Russia? You need to join Europe in friendship, not hanker after expired imperial glory.
The US invaded Iraq on a false pretense. And a host of other countries since 1945. The USA is by far the #1 warmonger on the planet. Hand over your resources to the USA so they can get most of the profits, or get declared a dictator who needs to be ‘regime changed’.
Russians haven’t forgotten how the ‘west’ attempted to loot the place in the early to mid 1990s. Everywhere the west goes (see Africa for many examples), such one sided deals where the western corporation gets 90-99% of the profits, a tiny elite gets the rest and the people remain dirt poor (and somehow many westerners are surprised about this).
The last time Britain, the USA and France stood for democracy was in 1945. Since that it has been colonial wars, resource wars, “they do not want to sign their resources over” wars and “oil liberation” wars.
I dont understand this invasion. Why just they give this areas with mostly Russions. And no war needed. Ukrain is made up country in the history. This republics are Russian and Ukrain just have to give them away. People live poor in Ukrain anyway. Russia is reach and will help them.
Russia poured 5 billions in Krim and pensions and others increased. This is what make these people fight for. For a better life.
These are very small zones. They dont even belong to Ukrain. Why Ukrain should fight?
I think the people in East Ukraine would be very happy with such an ‘invasion’. And the people in Crimea are very happy that they escaped just in time !
Never trust Putin. His model is Stalin, without the hair and the moustache.
Which part of Ukraine? The government in Kijev should at least try to approach the people in the Eastern Ukraine as fellow citizens rather than terrorists, and both EU and USA should ask the government in Kijev for a democratic rather than military approach.
Because bankers want the rich resources in the East so they will never recognise the right to self determination. Ask Hunter Biden if he will allow that. It’s as if Scotland had voted YES to independence and London had started bombing it the next day.
Ukraine has all the european support by your siderando Rússia must definitely end with this primitive act. If Rússia try to invade ukraine in a full scale, they will be severly punished by international organizations and face a big challenge with the U.S.A. The dialogue is always the most reasonable choice.
Ukraine has all the european support by your side and Rússia must definitely put an end with this primitive act. If Rússia try to invade ukraine in a full scale, they will be severly punished by international organizations and face a big challenge with the U.S.A. The dialogue is always the most reasonable choice.
As we could see this dar, Rssia only is trying to help people of tbose areas. It is USA and EU that are providing guns to the Ukrain plot government.
Remember… Russia have a lot of different nationalitys inside there own territory… It is just a matter of time…
Uh
Not unless a NATO ground operation would take place.
Don’t take it personally but, how should I know? Putin has not called me in months…
I don’t even know if Putin is sending special forces to Ukraine . Is it not great idea to ask Putin is he is going to invade Ukraine or better why not ask Putin if can promise that he is not going to try to get more of Ukraine . Maybe is he going to stop with Crimea.
The “full scale” invasion already happened. So this question is out of date.
europe dont exist…only eists soberan nations
why should europe care about Ukraine?
Ukraine and Russia are definitely Europe. The point is how to integrate them in the same nation. Not any crazy other!
By doing that may be we can solve all the topics of the problem, which is present at the same time, if not with the same intensity, in all our obsolete sovereign nation states.
Is that clear?
Certinly not enough, at least.
So have a look at this Program for everybody from Greenland to Bering Strait.
http://www.losio.com/#vision
My God!
And possibly let me know.
In Ukraine, the Civil War! Russia will protect Russian population of Ukraine only if Europe is trying to start this war!
debating europe on facebook lol spen more time doing something prodactive
No,…but only if paranoical Putin will not take his medication…
why, would it make a difference?
Do you mean as Poland in 1942?
Yeah, right, Russian invasion, lol. The real question is – should Europe prepare for the WW3, in case US pushes for it ?
Good post AN
Just look at the all comments on the site – they are virtually unanimous in their condemnation of US/EU expansionism.
The artificial Ukrainian state will collapse from within. Why would Russia invade it?!
Very simple, we can change friends but can’t change neighbours,Russia is super powers and they don’t want EU and U.S. On the door.i think they should divide ukrain In 2 parts.
Always!
Yes. Anyone who thinks they will stop on their own is dreaming.
Putin’s dirty job will never stop
Did you noticed Russian troops withdrawing? Nope, more “humanitarian aid” is coming and after that “aid” attacks intensify, so…
yes of course how pretentious your www. debatingeurope.eu afford so easly such pretending , ukraine is just not able even to win russia and as french i wont follow the american prztentious madness of spraid war all over the worls where s in you the true matter that any muim of this planet did not do babys to be killed under nationals wars ! eradicate such people having thos thinking be my war because the mum are ther goddess !
No invasion will come from Russia unless the EU/US invade Ukraine and start a war on the Russian bear door step. Russia took by vote Crimea bcos of the coup d etat propagated by outsiders in Ukraine. Look at the middle-east where it was stable a decade or so ago until the outsiders went and stir things up there and now it is a total mess .. Hope the same does not happen in the Ukraine bcos Russia is a super power not to be reconed with.
Ukraine must work it’s own problems out, and EU work together with Russia to split these regions peacefully.
I think Poland should
Putin is a bandit. We are expect an invasion.
Are you stupid ? What russian invasion? It’s US invasion!
Unfortunately they should.
Russia better invade and clean Ukraine from the facists that are in control now.EU should be ashamed for supporting the illegal goverment of Kiev.
What would Europe do in their place?
No.
Kiev far rightists and Nazis alliance is not legimitate goverment of Ukraine.People are starving and they mind only for civil war at East Ukraine.Nobody threats Ukraine.Before west s meddling was peaceful and progressing.
The Russians are ballsy and manipulative… But the one thing they’re not is stupid. It would trigger WW3 and they know it, therefore, it won’t happen.
I did not know that Ukraine is an EU member state. Please stick to stated objective.
Ukraine=INTERESTS…
Should NATO be prepared to stop that invasion???? Goddamn it we r in the 20century again?
Stop inciting promoting war, if Russia wanted “full scale” invasion, it would already be in Kiev, if Russia wanted, it doesnt .. Pathetic title.
Delivery of weapons could escalate the situation to that point – so yes!
But on the flip side, Russia might engage under the presumption that no one is willing to risk a WW over the Ukraine….
Humanity must get rid of this Westphalian mentality, before it gets rid of us.
Nationality is a highly dangerous and contagious disease.
NO
Wasteless discusion… Even if EU and USA would send weapons to ukraine it would take at least 2 years to see the results of it. Ukraine Army uses former USSR weapons and they are not use to NATO/OTAN material. Besides, there soldiers are not very wiling to fight. The last mobilisation had only 20.000 volunteers, and they wanted 1 million… So, probably this will get to some standpoint, a bit like what happened in Korea… The best way to destroy russian ambitions is hiting them economically, which EU/USA are already doing with sanctions and the oil price fall. I wonder hwat Putin can do against it… Hes a good geostrategist but I cant find a way to solve the fall of revenues in the russian budget.
Not only, Ukrain,e but Europe and the West twoo, because Ukraine, is a “frontier” between europe and russia, whihc means that whatever happens there, puts in danger Europe. Therefore, Europe, should step up, and help Ukraine, because this is NOT a “Ukrainina war”, but a European threat, posed by Russia.
Recently, I’ve started wondering, if Media with such articles, movies, news and so on is preparing us for WWIII. Should Ukraine prepare for invasion? Ha, well even if it does, it won’t help them. How about focusing on peaceful resolutions? I guess its June 1914 again. May God have mercy on your souls “democratic” hypocrites.
That won’t be necessary, the realitiy is Crimea, Donetsk and Lohansk will be the territories only will be the conflict will go on. The solution however will be the negotiations between the sides, not the battlefields, how many more civilian casualties we will see? Enough is enough.
Oh yes! And Ukraine is going to loose the eastern territories, because the West will do nothing but protest.
EU already showed their disability to make right decision to find the true. Invasion already’ve started and it’ll be marked in people’s history for ever – EU pushed away their efforts to help for people and Russia’s cruelty.
It all points in that direction
So i see probability
Yes. Russia wants to renew the empire