General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhite House Talks Up Aid for Ukraine With Eye on Putin
By David Lerman Feb 24, 2014 12:00 AM ET
The Obama administration is pushing Russia to use diplomacy, and urging its European allies to provide economic aid, in an effort to nudge Ukraine toward democracy after its parliament ousted President Viktor Yanukovych following violent protests.
With no credible military options, the U.S. and its allies have limited leverage over Russia as Ukraine tries to form a new government and seeks to rescue an economy that parliament Speaker Oleh Turchynov called “catastrophic.”
At the same time, though, two U.S. officials said yesterday, the crisis offers U.S. President Barack Obama an opportunity to try to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine’s future is not a zero-sum Cold War replay and that continued chaos in Ukraine -- Russia’s historic breadbasket, industrial hub and home to its navy’s Black Sea fleet -- is not in his country’s interest.
The turmoil, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, also is a chance for the U.S. to support the European Union and the International Monetary Fund in using the economic aid that Ukraine needs to prod the country’s leaders to make economic, as well as political, reforms.
White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice said yesterday the U.S. will work with its European partners to help finance Ukraine’s economic recovery.
more...
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-24/white-house-talks-up-aid-for-ukraine-with-eye-on-putin.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)But it is questionable whether either:
- the EU wants Ukraine to be part of the EU (there are already enough Polish plumbers in London and the Western EU nations don't really want another 45 million Slavs free to migrate within the EU) or
- Russia wants Ukraine to be part of Russia (with a continual festering hostile population in the western oblasts).
The interests of both would be served by a weak dysfunctional neutral Ukraine with semi-autonomous regions in the east and west loosely affiliated with Russia and the EU.
Germany and Russia should be able to work this out -- they have before.
