Posted on 09/03/2014 1:21:31 AM PDT by tcrlaf
Edited on 09/03/2014 6:47:04 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is hoping for a peace agreement to be reached between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels by Friday.
Mr Putin urged both sides to stop military action in eastern Ukraine, adding that his views and those of his Ukrainian counterpart were very close.
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko said they had agreed a "ceasefire process".
US President Barack Obama said he stood with Ukraine's people because they had a right to determine their own future.
Speaking in the Estonian capital Tallinn, Mr Obama also said Nato would guarantee the independence of the Baltic states.
"You've lost your independence once before, with Nato you'll never lose it again," he said.
A Nato summit opening in Wales on Thursday is expected to back plans for a rapid response force.
snip
He sent exactly the message he wanted to send.
Told his would be pals to go for it.
"The points of view of the presidents of the two countries coincide in a significant proportion"
BBC:
10:59: Ukraine’s President Poroshenko has not agreed to a ceasefire with the “Donetsk people’s republic”, self-styled deputy prime minister of the breakaway republic Andrey Purgin says - BBC Monitoring via RIA Novosti news agency.
10:59: A pro-Moscow separatist leader tells Reuters the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the east is the main condition for peace in separatist-held areas. Vladimir Antyufeyev, a leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said talk of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was a “provocation” because Russia was not a party to the conflict, the agency reports.
10:58: While Nato heads of state in Estonia focus on the Kremlin’s role in Ukraine, President Putin is meeting his Mongolian counterpart in Ulan Bator to talk about more trade and better transit links.
in other words...whens a ceasefire not a ceasefire........so no real change then, just more muddying of the waters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/03/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSKBN0GX21720140903
Despite the confusion, the statements appeared to indicate a degree of progress that could influence European Union leaders as they consider introducing new sanctions against Russia as early as Friday.
In a contradictory signal, Moscow simultaneously announced plans for huge military exercises this month by the strategic rocket forces responsible for its long-range nuclear weapons. It said the maneuvers in south-central Russia would involve 4,000 troops and extensive use of air power.
The timing was clearly calculated to throw down a challenge to NATO and the United States, hours before President Barack Obama was due to deliver a speech on the crisis in Russia’s neighbor Estonia.
I just made coffee for everyone.
Broken promises are a dime a dozen. The next promise to be broken is NATO failing to come to the aid of other NATO countries in the Baltics. Question: what do we do about it, starting now?
Looks that way ...
BBC:
Will Vernon, BBC News producer in Donetsk tweets: Trying to compose a tweet on the back-and-forth re the ‘ceasefire’ announced by Poroshenko earlier, but it’s getting too complicated.
It is probably clear to them by now the only “help” they will get from the West is encouraging words. That being said, I think going to the mat for the Ukraine isn’t a smart move in many ways.
You mean like 2003 when NATO refused to come to the aid of Turkey when asked if it would....
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/feb/12/iraq.nato
Seriously..read it, NATO is about as useful as water to a wicked witch......
2003 “The Atlantic alliance was thrown into one of its worst ever crises on Monday when France, Germany and Belgium vetoed a US request for Nato to make plans to protect Turkey if Saddam Hussein attacks. “
Putin kept ex-Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych in line and Ukraine weak. Putin wanted to be sure to be able to push Ukraine around, like all the other Russian autocrats. His fan club can rejoice if this news is true. An American enemy is strengthened through his efforts, Obama’s weakness, and the support of his internet fanclub.
I wonder would the Kiev Nazis hang Poroshenko right now and by which body part of him?
What fanclub are you on about.....the only people i see are realists......if you are so endeared with saving Ukraine, get on a plane and go join the fight instead of pontificating behind a keyboard.
What about the thousands of Christians...
Thanks for another sycophantic, gag-me post kissing Putin's arse.
They managed to collect about 17 billion ...but they owe half that to Russia. And wait till the people of Ukraine find out that their gas bill is going to double because that’s the strings attached by the “bank”.
So realism is pro-Putinsm. Are you declaring FreeRepublic a Putin supporter only website?
“Putin won.”
Is he going for all year shirtless to celebrate this “victory” ?
oh get a grip man, this is all discussion not your own site in which to accuse everyone of this that and the other.
Realism is looking at the situation on the ground and it consequences rather than whether you like it or not.
Take a position, fight your corner but calling people this that and the other is not gonna help.
Stop being so black and white about things.......
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