In comments made at the Trilateral Commission last week, Secretary of State John Kerry dubbed Russia a “thug” responsible for stirring unrest in eastern Ukraine, claiming it was a plot to take the region over.
Kerry’s comments echo those of other US and Western officials, who have been claiming Russia is trying to create a pretext for invasion. Yet with Ukraine overtly invading the protester-held east, it seems like Russia has all the excuse it would need, and isn’t acting.
It’s not an oversight, according to Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, who insists Russia simply doesn’t want to take over the eastern portion of the country, and has no inclination to try to repeat the Crimean annexation there.
It’s not hard to see why. While Russia was eager to retain its naval base in Crimea, it has no such strategic interests in Ukraine’s east. Like Crimea, the area around Donetsk and Luhansk is also extremely poor, and already committed to a pricey set of subsidies in Crimea, there is no reason why Russia might want to start throwing money at cities with crumbling, out-dated industrial bases.
The NATO assumption seems to be that Russia is seeking territory for its own sake, but as the largest country on the planet by far, it isn’t clear why Russia would be looking to absorb neighboring regions.
John Kerry should understand that it was America that started all the unrest in Ukraine with its CIA funding of the Ultra Right Neo Nazis that overthrew the elected Government of Ukraine!
"… dubbed Russia a “thug” responsible for stirring unrest in eastern Ukraine…"
As opposed to the [American] "thugs" who inflamed and financially supported the coup in Kiev?
Russia don't have to, the people of Ukraine are already doing it by wanting to become independent from Kiev. Every political, economic or military where USG been involved in regard to regime change or els, it's been a catastrophe for nations, yet, these people don't have the brain to understand the simple fact, it is not your business what other nation do as long as they are not attacking America or against America domestic politics, USG is creating its own enemy by supporting the enemies of people democratically rights, Saudis barbarians in Syria and Neo fascism in Europe are the latest.
Most of the time when a country such as Ukraine is broke it is do to moral decay . Moral decay of the masses , the majority . To much theft , to much alcohol and drugs . How can you conduct business when you can't trust anyone . United States is getting areas like this too . People won't pay the rent , people won't pay the taxes
That has to be a lie, we all know that Russia is on the verge of marching into Poland!!! Germany will be next. And then the holy British Empire!!! Isn't there someone who can stop them!!!
Putin's problem is that he claimed he didn't want to annex Crimea but today, Crimea is annexed. Thus, Putin's credibility stands at zero and what counts now are deeds, not words. With armed bands seizing territory in eastern Ukraine and Putin criticising the Ukrainian government's attempts to enforce the law and threatening to invade every second day, it will take more than a statement by a deputy foreign minister to convince the world that Putin is backing off.