Western nations scramble to contain fallout of Ukraine crisis
Source: Guardian
Western governments are scrambling to contain the fallout from Ukraine's weekend revolution, pledging money, support and possible EU membership, while anxiously eyeing the response of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, whose protégé has effectively been ousted.
As the big international loser of the three-month drama's denouement, the Kremlin has the potential to create the most mischief because of Ukraine's closeness, its pro-Russian affinities in the east and south, and the country's dependence on Russian energy supplies.
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Western leaders, while welcoming the unexpected turn of events in Kiev, are worried about the country fracturing into a pro-Russian and pro-western conflict. They are certain to push for a new government that is as inclusive as possible to replace the collapsed and discredited administration of Yanukovych, who vanished within hours of signing EU-mediated settlement terms with opposition leaders on Friday.
Maintaining the fragile country's territorial integrity swiftly emerged as the paramount concern in the west. "France, together with its European partners, calls for the preservation of the country's unity and integrity and for people to refrain from violence," said Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, echoing the key western worry that Kiev and western Ukraine could be pitted against the Russophone east and south.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/23/ukraine-crisis-western-nations-eu-russia
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With protestations by the Pentagon that, "This operation will only involve a small contingent of troops ("boots on the ground"
and will be of very short duration." We'll always be greeted by showers of flowers, and everything will pay for itself. (sigh)
The Syrian intervention was stillborn not so much because Assad caved, but because the Russians out-maneuvered us diplomatically. Once Sec. Kerry had let it slip that our impending air strikes might be avoided if the Syrians destroyed their chemical weapons, Foreign Minister Lavrov gabbed the fumble and ran it in for a game-winning touchdown.
