The Ukrainian connection

Polskie Radio ^ | Polskie Radio

[anonymoussierra]

Ukraine's Parliament has cleared the way for a repeat of its Presidential run-off election on December 26th. MP's voted overwhelmingly for constitutional and electoral changes which should mean a minimum of foul play in the battle between pro-western Viktor Yushchenko and the Moscow backed Viktor Yanukovych. The political crisis now appears headed for a peaceful end but it has raised tensions between the European Union and Russia - each of them accusing the other of interfering in Ukraine's internal politics. The result is a fight for influence over a country that both East and West have paid little attention to. And in the middle of the ring is Poland's President Alexander Kwasniewski.

Parliament's vote for new electoral laws means the country can now hold fair elections. It was Poland's President Alexander Kwasniewski who drew up a three-point plan to resolve the crisis: This called for the verifying of election results, annulling those tainted by irregularities, and the renunciation of violence by all sides.

"I hope that European politicians both from the East and West, parliamentarians as well, will refrain from trying to influence the election campaign. The Ukrainians should have a chance to make decisions in an unrestrained way. To decide who they really support."

For Poland the stakes are high. Its large southern neighbour is one of the country's most important trading partners - before World War II much of western Ukraine was part of Poland. Warsaw wants to see a reforming democratic government in Kiev but it also wants good relations with Moscow. Kwasniewski has good contacts with all of the major political players in Ukraine and has been able to fill a big gap in the EU's mediating team. Tim Snyder from the Vienna based Institute for Human Sciences says Europe was caught napping:

"Europe right now doesn't really have something called a foreign policy. What Europe has is membership or not membership. So long as you see the world and your neighbours in terms of whether they are members or not members, you get precisely this kind of thinking. It would be very difficult to have Ukraine as a member and therefore it's nicer not to think about it."

But Russia resents Europe's role in Ukraine and accuses it and the United States of interfering in the country's internal politics. But according to Tim Snyder that's just what Russia itself is doing:

"For all of us who were observing the Ukrainian electoral campaign, it was extremely clear that there was massive external intervention. But that intervention didn't come from the west. It came from the east. Many of Yanukovych's closest advisors aren't even Ukrainians but are from Russia. The propaganda techniques that were used in the elections were largely modelled on those that Putin uses. The influx of Russian money was much greater than the influx of money from any other source."

Much is at stake - Europe depends on Russian oil and gas and wants good relations with Moscow. On the other hand Russia sees Ukraine as part of its sphere of influence. It's unclear how Moscow will react if there's a Yushchenko victory on December 26th. But NATO's Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says it's now up to the Ukrainians:

"I understand that Ukraine is an important neighbour for the Russian Federation. My answer is Ukraine is an important neighbour for NATO and the European Union as well. So, let's not make this into a fight or into a quarrel but let's both agree that the Ukrainian people should decide free and fairly who their president is going to be."

In this tug of war between East and West Alexander Kwasniewski knows the western European negotiators have a poor record. He's suggesting the Visegrad countries - Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia - could mediate in the EU's political dealings with its eastern neighbours - including Ukraine. If elections go smoothly in Ukraine and relations with Russia can be smoothed over, he will have proved his point.

[anonymoussierra]

"For all of us who were observing the Ukrainian electoral campaign, it was extremely clear that there was massive external intervention. But that intervention didn't come from the west. It came from the east. Many of Yanukovych's closest advisors aren't even Ukrainians but are from Russia. The propaganda techniques that were used in the elections were largely modelled on those that Putin uses. The influx of Russian money was much greater than the influx of money from any other source."

[anonymoussierra]

Ukraina

[anonymoussierra]

Ukraina

[PhilDragoo]

It was Poland's President Alexander Kwasniewski who drew up a three-point plan to resolve the crisis:

[anonymoussierra]

Dzieki :}}} Thank you

[eluminate]

I hope Yuschenko wins. I can tell you why. Two Ukraines are better then one. One can join the EU and rot while the other can go back to Russia after wto entry. Demographicly and ideologicly that suits the people on both sides.

If you think orange revolution was nice please stay tuned. Because if he does win there will be hell to pay.
http://www.ukrnow.com/content/view/2417/2/

I know under ur skin imperial ambition is beating that maybe those western ukranians will reuinite with poland. It will not happen they want things their way and noone elses. I'll be honest I want Crimea to go back to Russia and most of my family is from there. They want the same thing. Same with Donetsk Lugansk all the way through to Odessa.

[anonymoussierra]

"I know under ur skin imperial ambition is beating"NO! That is not truth! I do want Ukraine country persons be what is good.Thank you

[risk]

I can hear the tanks rumbling in the distance, can't you?

[eluminate]

its not the tanks... its the massess. 250k in kiev is nothing.

[risk]

I see nothing wrong with letting the Ukranian people decide. They know what is best for themselves. A self-determined Ukraine might even make Russia stronger. An unhappy and oppressed Ukraine could destabilize Russia in the long run.

[MeekOneGOP]

The election is on Boxing Day - one week from today. December 26th.

The Ukrainian connection

Excerpt:

For Poland the stakes are high. Its large southern neighbour is one of the country's most important trading partners - before World War II much of western Ukraine was part of Poland. Warsaw wants to see a reforming democratic government in Kiev but it also wants good relations with Moscow. Kwasniewski has good contacts with all of the major political players in Ukraine and has been able to fill a big gap in the EU's mediating team. Tim Snyder from the Vienna based Institute for Human Sciences says Europe was caught napping:

"Europe right now doesn't really have something called a foreign policy. What Europe has is membership or not membership. So long as you see the world and your neighbours in terms of whether they are members or not members, you get precisely this kind of thinking. It would be very difficult to have Ukraine as a member and therefore it's nicer not to think about it."

But Russia resents Europe's role in Ukraine and accuses it and the United States of interfering in the country's internal politics. But according to Tim Snyder that's just what Russia itself is doing:

"For all of us who were observing the Ukrainian electoral campaign, it was extremely clear that there was massive external intervention. But that intervention didn't come from the west. It came from the east. Many of Yanukovych's closest advisors aren't even Ukrainians but are from Russia. The propaganda techniques that were used in the elections were largely modelled on those that Putin uses. The influx of Russian money was much greater than the influx of money from any other source."

---

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Yushchenko vs. Yanukovych/Ukraine election ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[Grzegorz 246]

"I know under ur skin imperial ambition is beating that maybe those western ukranians will reuinite with poland"

You must be joking. The last thing Poland needs are millions of poor and hungry Ukrainians. We wouldn't "take" these lands even If these people really wanted to reunite with Poland. Any kind of "reunification" would mean disaster for Poland. Look at Germany - the most important (more than socialism) reason of their current economic problems is reunification. East Germany in 89/90 was on the current level of Ukraine, but Poland is still in much worse situation than West Germany in those times, so in this case it would be even worse.

"I'll be honest I want Crimea to go back to Russia and most of my family is from there. They want the same thing. Same with Donetsk Lugansk all the way through to Odessa."

In my opinion Ukrainians should do whatever they want, If most of them want to create two different countries, it's their free will, however I doubt that any reunification of eastern part with Russia will happen. Why ? Simple example: Yanuk then would became a governor of some provincial Russian district instead of being a PM of one of the biggest European country, the same about local authorities, generals etc.

[Grzegorz 246]

Half of Ukrainians don't want Yushchenko, the rest don't want Yanuk, so maybe they should take Kwas instead one of them ? Most of Poles wouldn't miss him.

[cicero's_son]

The Ukraine will not split of its own accord. The majority of Easterners, while proud of their cultural ties to Russia, do not want to be reabsorbed into a greater Russian political entity.

The only way the Ukraine splits is if the EU and Putin carved it up as part of the negotiations of the last few weeks. I suspect this was Russia's goal from the beginning. What remains to be seen is whether it was France and Germany's goal as well.

[Gucho]

Ukraine News:
http://www.alltheweb.com/search?cat=news&cs=utf-8&q=Ukraine&rys=0&_sb_lang=pref&o=0

[eluminate]

"Warsaw residents knitting scarf for Ukraine opposition leader

WARSAW (AFP) - A woolen orange scarf is being knitted in various parts of Warsaw for Ukraine opposition leader Victor Yushchenko, the organizers of the project said."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1517&ncid=732&e=3&u=/afp/20041217/od_afp/polandukraineoffbeat

They should have made a cake instead so he could eat it...

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you

[MeekOneGOP]

You bet! :^)

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you

[anonymoussierra]

Wegry 1956, Chechy 1968 Gdansk,1970 1980-81 Gdynia 1980-81 "tanks rumbling" Thank you. My country do not want Ukraina country "imperial" NO! Read what hapen in Germany/Niemcy East Germany West Germany. My country have is problem we do not want Ukraina we want Ukraine persons be what that persons want it is Ukraine country it is Ukraincy persons that vote not my country! East Ukraine West Ukraine is Ukraine Country! Thank you