UKRAINE JUST A PAWN IN GLOBAL POLITICAL CHESS
UKRAINE SHOULD BE A NEUTRAL INDEPENDENT COUNTRY
We hear that Biden is going to talk to Vladimir Putin today. He has stated that he does not recognize any red lines placed by Russia. If he continues to insist that Ukraine will become member of NATO, he may as well not call.
Volodymyr Zelinsky campaigned that he would improve relations with Russia, but it was not long that he was spouting demands and and has adopted the U.S. policy toward Russia and Ukraine. The best situation for Ukraine is that it would be an independent, non-aligned nation with an ability to trade with the EU and Russia. It could prosper economically and not be a threat to the security of Russia. If he continues to allow his foreign policy to be dictated by Washington it will likely be a disaster for Ukraine.
It is clear that most of the career Washington bureaucrats are unwilling to entertain any other view of foreign policy than the one this country has been stuck in for decades. Many are still engaged in a cold war mentality of the past.
After the break-up of the Soviet Union, there was a sincere effort by the Russian federation to become a part of the world economic and political system. Just look at the State department's list of treaties signed in those days. While the political leaders of the time, Reagan, Gorbachev and Bush were committed to moving in that direction, the entrenched bureaucracy decided the cold war must go on.
NATO was established in 1949 as a counter to the Soviet Union and the Warsaw pact, a cooperative group of communist countries. It originally had 12 members, 4 members were added between 1949 and 1982. this brought the number to 16.
When the Berlin wall was taken down and eventually the unification of Germany was agreed to by the Western countries and the Russian federation there were 16 NATO members. There was an agreement, but not a treaty, that Germany could be part of NATO but further expansion would not happen.
After the Soviet Union break-up the NATO confederation's reason for existing was less clear. There no longer was a serious threat of an invasion of western Europe from the unified Soviet Union. The Russian Federation was going through a peaceful transformation to a more open and free political and economic union.
The Russian federation was no longer a communist country and had given up on their goal of establishing a world communist revolution. While they struggled to transform themselves from inside, U.S. and Russian relations were at a high point.
Then it was argued by some, and sometimes openly touted, that the U.S. was the only world Super Power and that we should use this opportunity to enforce our economic and political will on the World. Russia was often disdained and insulted by politicians on both sides.
In 1997, 3 former Warsaw pact members were invited to join NATO. Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia were admitted to the union in 1997. That is exactly 24 years ago. Today NATO has 29 members, 17 more than at the critical time of the cold war.
Did anyone consider that this policy of "Containment" of Russia, which is now the official policy of the United States, would be cause for concern to the leaders of the Russian Federation and its citizens. This is really were the deterioration of relations with Russia took a turn for the worse.
In 2014 a revolution in the Ukraine was instrumental in the removal of Victor Yanukovych from the presidency of Ukraine. The main issue was that many wanted Yanukovych to become a member of the European community. The United States was heavily involved, with Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland admitting to funneling $5 Billion in support for the overthrow of Yanukovych. Tours and speeches by John McCain and other politicians encouraged the Ukrainians to revolt.
The problem was that 50% of all trade of the Ukraine was conducted with the Russian Federation. As a member of the E.U., Ukraine would be forbidden to trade with Russia. The other issue was that much of Russia's military industry was located in eastern Ukraine. There was even talk of replacing the Russian Naval base in Crimea with a NATO naval base.This was a serious threat to the economy and security of the Russia federation.
Within days of the coup, parts of eastern Ukraine revolted from the new government and Crimea held a referendum to be reunited with the Russian federation. This led to sanctions and the beginning of the intensified cold war.
This was just the first of the U.S. policy of support of revolution or regime change, it was followed by U.S. involvement in revolution in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Iraq and the interference in the elections in Israel and Russia. Not one of these interventions resulted in a positive result for the countries in question or the United States. These interventions have resulted in the death of 100's of thousands in these countries. It has also cost the U.S. over $7 Trillion and thousands of deaths of U.S. citizens.
Having created chaos in much of the world one must wonder if they have now turned their expertise in chaos to their latest project, right here at home.
In April of 2019 Volodymyr Zelensky, a non politician, won the election over Petro Poroshenko the incumbent and the favored candidate of the U.S. establishment. In May President Trump recalled the ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, after reports that she was an ardent Poroshenko supporter and had refused to talk to the new president. One must wonder what the establishment experts had in mind for poor Zelensky.
Ukraine is now a partitioned country. If anyone believes that Russia will allow Ukraine to become a member of NATO and be a hostile player on their border is delusional. Just as we would feel if Mexico would decide to join a union opposed to our well-being. This is the policy supported by the U.S. foreign policy experts.
So today, Biden is likely to warn Putin that we will impose sanctions and other economic penalties on Russia, if they invade Ukraine. What he should be doing is considering a peaceful transition of Ukraine into an independent, non-aligned nation with trade ability with all its neighbors. Biden is likely to spout the policy of his entrenched advisors and insist on Nato membership for Ukraine. The U.S. has not encouraged a relationship of cooperation, but constant derision and animosity toward Russia, who now understands that short of submission, there is no other option to be offered.
A free independent Ukraine, that would have the ability to trade with who ever is in its best interests. If this is not possible there will be a permanent partition of Ukraine, with the eastern part, who has mostly a Russian population, closely aligned with Russia.
It is likely that if the pressure to squeeze and encircle Russia continues and if it feels its national interests are severely threatened, War may be viewed as their only alternative.