The US claims that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine have taken a toll on the Ukrainian economy. An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff on Friday called on the West to dial back on the rhetoric.
“Constant and extremely emotional messages in the media about how a big war is going to start tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow or the day after that create economic risks,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.
“This speculative stuff puts pressure on investors, creditors, and on ordinary people. And that worsens other economic indicators,” he added.
Since the US began making the warnings in November, Ukraine’s hryvnia currency has crashed and is now at its lowest value against the US dollar since February 2015.
The US narrative that Russia is plotting an invasion is starting to crumble as US and Ukrainian officials are at odds over the threat level. Zelensky criticized Western leaders for creating a “panic” by making the claims. “This is panic — how much does it cost for our state?” he asked.
He’s beginning to sound like he’s been cut out of the loop on US plans. This fits with what Moon of Alabama, The Saker and I have been saying: that the CIA, the neocons and the Ukrainian hard liners are calling the shots on what will happen. Zelensky is likely to be removed one way or the other and Poroshenko or some other controllable person will be installed.
I do not think so. Zelenski is the man US trusts in
Ukraine. He was elected by telling lies about normalizing ties with Russia. He is the real thing, as far as US is concerned, and he is surrounded by like minded. Ukrsine right wing at present are useful idiots, reduced to anti-Russia cultural wars, and a tool of armed instigation.
It is US that got too far out on the limb, so now the act starts. Zelenski is the good guy that wants to negotiate with Russia. Soon it will be Russia being bad not reaching out and giving to Zelenski all he wants. No news here,
But UK is sending military to Europe, taking the heat off US and pressuring other European states to ante up, or be displaced in Baltics by UK.
These are old neocon street smarts, , sounds like a Midfle East suq, two merchants playing trick on a buyer, making a high price serm reasonable even a win for the byer as he is manipulated into making up his mind. But if things go bad — Zelenski and his appointees would be on the first evacuation plane that Israel already announced is in the works.
The problem with game playing is — not seeing the forest for the treas, as focus is on tricks du jour,
Sure, trying to make Russia take action in Ukraine is something the Washington warmingers are itching to see. We get it.
But they need to consider the following, Russia has the advantage of an initiative. If Russia is forced to take action — and there are many conditions that would cause it — Russia would not leave the regime in power to continue the provocation. Therefore, we see all the “predictions” of Russia “going to Dnyeper river, and perhaps getting Black Sea including Odessa province. If that transpires, Kiev will NOT remain under current management. Many options are possible,
Europe to start a war over Ukraine? Not likely as neither country has the military power to stand a chance. Europe cannot afford to enter a war. Plain and simple. If it does, it will end up a third world region, as there is none in the pack of Western countries that could backstop the military and financial impact of such adventure. US you say? That might be so if the US is not facing pressures around the globe, mainly in Asia, Middle East and Africa, Where to allocate its military, finances, and political capital?
Russia has publicly listed offensive weapins and locations in Europe endangering Russia’s security. These, not just Ukraine are the real issues. Russia cannot afford having those launchers in place, and will remive them by force if needed. It will have to demonstrate its determination eventually, but again, it has the advantage od the initative.
It just signed twenty year deal with Iran, including trade, infrastructure and defense. That is on the heals of 25 year Iran-China deal,
Next month — a gigantic pioeline deal with Chuna will be signed.
Europe gets Russian gas under ling term contract for $268. An equivalent quantity of LNG gas on spot market last week touched $2,000. It is rather clear that Russia is not forcing Europe to buy its gas, nor blackmail it with prices. If it is a bad thing to focus on one’s own economy, than Europe is guilty as charged. But they dealt with Soviet Union in gas — and always received delivery as contracted, A tight spot indeed. Russia will find better paying customers in the East. And as lingvterm cintracts expire, Nord Stream and Turkey-Balkans route may be all that remains.
I agree with 99% of what you say. But I still think Zelensky is on the outs. They brought back Poroshenko who was supposed to be jailed for treason. Obviously someone powerful is backing him because he’s not in jail. Besides which, as I’ve said, the CIA and the neocons can start a war without Zelensky’s permission. They have enough manipulable clowns available in Ukraine to get a provocation started.
In any event, we’ll see. Until Ukraine forces pull back from the contact line and Zelensky shows a willingness to implement Minsk, nothing has changed on the ground.
We don’t care. The mere threat of war is money in the bank for the military congressional industrial complex. We don’t give a sh*t about the economy of other countries.
What Ukraine actually wants, is immaterial.
Speaking of whether Zelensky is on the way out, remember that UK report that Russia was planning to install a “puppet regime.” More on that from Bernhard over at Moon of Alabama.
British Government Laundered Fake U.S. ‘Intelligence’ On Ukraine
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/01/british-government-laundered-fake-us-intelligence-on-ukraine.html
Take note:
This means that it was indeed the CIA that was feeding the Brits this nonsense. Since it is almost certainly not true, that fingers the CIA as being main promoter of the entire “Russian invasion” BS. That begs the question: What does Biden know or not know? Is the CIA lying to the administration or is the administration in on the scam?
Re whether Zelensky is on the way out… Alexander Mercouris’ video today examines precisely this point. He points out that there are considerable rumors about a “coup” against Zelensky, that in fact Zelensky has spoken about such plots, and he notes that Poroshenky was apparently protected from arrest on his re-entry into the county by the US Embassy. He also gives credence (correctly, I think) to the possibility that Biden was actually yelling at Zelensky during the recent phone call between the two.
He goes on to note polls of the Ukrainian population which indicates that around 50% or less of the population in areas not including the breakaway republics or Crimea are at all interested in doing any kind of resistance to a hypothetical “Russian invasion”.
He argues that a coup against Zelensky would be a bad idea, and cites the 1963 Diem coup in Vietnam which was organized by the US as what might happen in Ukraine, i.e., the government would likely lose what little credibility it has.
Alexander finally gets around to speculating that “maybe someone in Washington actually wants a war between Ukraine and Russia.” But he still has problems figuring out why, in my opinion because he simply can’t bring himself to consider the simple conspiracy theory that it’s all a CIA/neocons/Ukrainian hard liners plot to achieve their own agendas, not necessarily the agenda one might expect of the US if the US were capable of behaving rationally. In short, a failure of the imagination on his part, I believe.
Anyway, check it out. It’s well worth the listen.
Reports Persist of Biden-Zelensky Row as Washington-Kiev Argue over ‘Russian Invasion Threat