Ukraine took a historic step toward NATO on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote that stoked Russia's anger ahead of talks on ending the ex-Soviet state's separatist war.
Lawmakers in the government-controlled chamber overwhelmingly adopted a bill dropping Ukraine's non-aligned status -- a classification assumed by states that refuse to join military alliances and thus play no part in wars.
President Petro Poroshenko had vowed to put Ukraine under Western military protection after winning an election called in the wake of the February ouster in Kiev of a Moscow-backed president.
"European and Euro-Atlantic integrations -- that is Ukraine's single course," Poroshenko tweeted moments after the 303-8 vote.
Ukraine assumed de facto neutrality under strong Russian pressure in 2010. It had sought NATO membership in the early post-Soviet era but -- its once-mighty army in ruins and riven by corruption -- was never viewed as a serious candidate.
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It will be interesting to see the effect this will have on the situation in eastern Ukraine. I suspect the Russians will become more aggressive there as a result. Of course it will mean Russians will play very hard ball with respect to energy supplies and Ukrainian exports to Russia. Here we go. Will Victoria Nuland go down in history as having instigated the events that led to a nuclear conflict between the US and Russia?
Outraging Russia, Ukraine takes big step toward NATO
It will be interesting to see the effect this will have on the situation in eastern Ukraine. I suspect the Russians will become more aggressive there as a result. Of course it will mean Russians will play very hard ball with respect to energy supplies and Ukrainian exports to Russia. Here we go. Will Victoria Nuland go down in history as having instigated the events that led to a nuclear conflict between the US and Russia?
Outraging Russia, Ukraine takes big step toward NATO
How dare Ukraine deicide it's own foreign policy that should be left up to Putin!
Russia has been fairly level-headed about all this. Ukraine has nothing to
offer NATO. No money. Dilapidated military. Gov't in with only a 29%
approval from registered voters. I think if Ukraine angled for peace instead
of conflict, it would be much better for Ukrainians. They have chosen an
option that will endanger their pipeline transit status, because they have
siphoned off illegally in the past, and since they're broke, you can expect
more of the same. Russia will be less tolerant since Kiev has assumed a
anti-Russia posture, rightfully so, in my opinion. Gov't by Big Banking and
not gov't by the people.
Russia isn't doing so well in the economic war over Ukraine. I suspect they will find a way to get out of there while claiming victory pretty soon.
No they are not doing well at all. But they are likely going to have to suffer through the low oil prices for a while as well as the sanctions. The thing is this, there are countries such as China and India that have a very strong interest in preserving Russia as a counterweight to US power. It is for this reason that Russia will survive this, although in life support, and will rebound when oil prices resume their upward trajectory.
If China and India want Russia to remain strong, then they have an interest in convincing Putin to get out of the Ukraine, too.
They don't want them to be strong, in the the sense of what Putin was trying to accomplish with his Eurasian union because quite frankly both China and India have problems with Russia as well. They just want them on life support, enough to keep them around as a counterweight to US power. That way, they can leverage Russia's weak position to their advantage. Take for example the recent 400 billion dollar energy deal Russia signed recently with China. It is my understanding that China got a very very good deal on the energy, because Russia, quite frankly, badly needs the money.
So, indirectly the sanctions are helping China?
So, indirectly the sanctions are helping China?
The sanctions are backfiring against the USA. The sanctions are bringing
Russia, India, China, and the BRICS Nations more closely allied. I have
noted in another post that China and India see the USA using its' reserve
currency status as a weapon against Russia and must realize that if the
USA will do that against Russia, they might be next. That forces them to
counter the possibility at the first opportunity and this is the first opportunity
or just to perform a buttress against USA hegemony. The USA is trying to
conquer the World economically with Central Banking alliances and pressures.
Nations that value independence will reject this attempt. I believe that is
what we are witnessing and China's statement that they will support Russia
is just the first acknowledgement.
Russia hardly needs a NATO excuse. Ukraine was officially a neutral non-aligned nation when Russia invaded in February 2014.As Dave Fagan said, Ukraine offers NATO little...except a more antagonized Russia.
Simpleχity;1064124038 said:Russia hardly needs a NATO excuse. Ukraine was officially a neutral non-aligned nation when Russia invaded in February 2014.
Russia's invasion also violated the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances which it signed in 1994.
Ukraine should decide it's own foreign policy, so should Russia and so should the US. However, all of us will have to live with the consequences of those decisions, good or bad. Obama, Hillary, Nuland and that neocon crowd at the Heritage Foundation have decided to take the US down this very dangerous path. We will see where it leads.
Russia isn't doing so well in the economic war over Ukraine. I suspect they will find a way to get out of there while claiming victory pretty soon.
I suspect they will protect their front yard....at all costs.
If their "front yard" means the Ukraine, then it only needs protection from the Russians.
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