Ukraine President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky says he is open to negotiations with Russia on deescalation of the rebellion in eastern Ukraine. He also said he wants to discuss ways the resolve the split with the ethnic Russian east.
After the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, a new pro-West government started passing laws limiting the rights of people in the Russian-dominated east. This fueled a rebellion, and in recent years, the east has been de facto autonomous.
Zelensky was initially seen as somewhat more friendly to the nation’s Russian minority, because of his time as a comedian on Russian-language Ukrainian TV. His early criticism of Russia, and calls for more sanctions, however, raised doubt if he intended serious change.
A resolution of the rebellion is almost certainly going to have to include restoring lost rights to the ethnic Russians. Zelensky’s willingness to do that is unclear, though he was deeply critical of the parliament passing more restrictions on the Russian language after his election, and before his victory was declared.
He speaks from all corners of his mouth. The legislation has passed, and he kept quiet. It is done. The rest is posturing, trying to catch Russia unprepared for opening. Even though his boss is a clever tycoon Kolomoyski, like the rest of tycoons now hiding in Israel for running in trouble with authorities in both Russia and Ukraine — it is not likely he will suceed. Unless he has something of substance to offer. Like implement Minsk II, which would involve constitutional change and give regions more autonomy. This would be welcome change in other, non-Russian regions, as well as in other Russia plurality regions in Ukraine. But not likely to happen. The gang that took power after the coup, is not likely to allow decentralization. So, hard to see how can he do it, even if he wanted to. The optics of getting Russia to stumble at his magnanimous offer of solving the problem, is wishful thinking. Russia will jump at every opportunity to negotiate, and in the end it will Ukraine and its powerful tycoons both in the country or in exile, that will have the final say.
Was this Victoria Nuland’s 2nd choice, after “Yats is our Man” and “Ef the EU”
I love the way that Victoria “f-ck the EU” Nuland referred to “Yats” and “Porky” as if they were her pet poodles. The arrogance of the Clintonistas in 2014 was breathtaking.
Well, I think they did have matching collars. The State Department paid good money for those neutered mutts.
Yes, indeed, Thomas, the arrogance of the Clintonistas and0Victoria “F the EU” Nudelman aka Nuland in 2014 was quite breathtaking, to say the least 😀
“After the 2014 Ukrainian revolution….”
Is that what we’re calling that now? Apparently somebody changed the definition of coup de tat. Alert Webster’s at once.
It will be interesting to see how long the Ukrainian neo-Nazis who had supported “Porky” will let Zelensky remain, not only in power but on the planet Earth.