What did they hear? As Tom Parfitt reports from Moscow,
"Vladimir Putin signalled he would not back down over the Ukraine crisis on
Thursday, likening the West to a bloodthirsty opponent intent on “tearing
out the claws and teeth” of the Russian bear.
Speaking at his annual press conference in Moscow, Russia’s president accused
the United States and Europe of deciding “that they are winners, they are an
empire now and the rest are vassals and they have to be driven into a
corner”.(Daily Telegraph: 18 Dec 2014) (my emphasis)
Furthermore, as Tom Parfitt reports,
"...the Russian leader was tough in his words over the annexation of Crimea and the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine, once again blaming the West for starting the conflict – while ducking a sharp question from a Ukrainian journalist who asked how many Russian soldiers had died fighting there, and what he would say to their mothers." (ibid Daily Telegraph)
Why is it then that the likes of Merkel, Hollande, Renzi, and the 'fragrant' Mogherini, continue to place nearly ALL their diplomatic eggs into the Minsk Protocols basket? Putin is continuously signalling that he simply will NOT 'back down over Ukraine'. Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is,
"Is Putin's fervent nationalistic stance purely for his Russian audience; to somehow deflect their gaze away from the dire Russian economy and towards those 'bloodthisty' western opponents of Russia?"
Many western 'political pundits' are of the opinion that this is, indeed, the case. But for how long can this last? How long can Putin literally 'pull the wool' over the eyes of the Russian people? Nothwithstanding the fact that Putin is practically in complete control over what the Russian people hear and see and read, nevertheless there comes a point when all his 'patriotic' nationalistic fervour is bound to run into a buffer. And that buffer is the failing Russian economy, the falling value of the rouble, and the increasingly rapid rise in the price of basic goods such as food.
As John Simpson says in the video,
" ... Next month (Jan 2015) the big price rises will start coming through and the economic FREEZE will be [in Russia] in earnest."
On the same day as Putin 'met the press',
“... President [Obama] signed into law H.R.
5859, the "Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014," which contains
sanctions provisions on various Russian persons and entities and
military and non-military assistance authorities for Ukraine.”
The bill authorizes the provision of lethal assistance and aid
in energy and defense sectors, as well as civil society to the Ukrainian
government and the imposing of a new round of economic sanctions against Russia." (Russian Sputnik News :19.12.2014) (my emphasis)
Coupled to this are the new sanctions that are being imposed by the EU, specifically "outlawing European investment in Crimea". These are far more modest than the sanction provisions contained in the bill that Obama signed.
Yet at the same time, the 'fragrant' Mogherini has stated that,
“The fact that Russia is in a difficult situation from a financial point
of view is not good news, first of all for Russian citizens, but also
it is not good news for Ukraine, it is not good for Europe or for the
rest of the world,” Ms. Mogherini told reporters ahead of a summit
meeting in Brussels of European leaders." (
President François Hollande of France said that if “Russia sends the signals we expect” and curbs its support for armed rebels in eastern Ukraine, Europe should shift to a softer approach with Moscow." (ibid Andrew Higgins)
Yet Merkel, who spoke to her Russian counterpart by phone on Wednesday (17 Dec. 2014), noted that [Putin] has made many promises. But she said Russia continues to flout several items in the so-called
Minsk peace plan and all she can do is “hope” that a recent ceasfire
will hold.
"If the President of the Russian Federation, Putin, said about the territorial integrity of Ukraine [then] he must believe in the word", said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
She said that the message of the President of Russia made during a recent phone conversations With the heads of Germany, France and Ukraine ( " channel format " ), RIA " Novosti." If he (President of Russia) said that [he] is committed to the territorial integrity of Ukraine, we must believe his word and work on it, " Merkel said after an EU summit in Brussels. (News RIN.ru: 19 December 2014)
How can Merkel say that we must believe the word of Putin when she also says that she has
"noted that [Putin] has made many promises. But she said Russia continues to flout several items in the so-called Minsk peace plan and all she can do is “hope” that a recent ceasfire will hold."?
History warns us that such "hope" can be very dangerous indeed. In this I am reminded of Neville Chamberlain who,
" .... amidst cheering crowds .. brandished a piece of paper signed by German Chancellor Adolf Hitler which he assured the British people that he had brought 'peace with honor' guaranteeing 'peace in our time'. The date was September 30th, 1938.
Hitler promptly proceeded to [violate] the Munich Agreements and his assurances to Chamberlain by invading Czechoslovakia (March 1939), just as,
"Russia continues to flout several items in the so-called Minsk peace plan ....",
.... and this from the mouth of Merkel herself.
Has Merkel become the modern Neville Chamberlain?
There is, truly, nothing new under the sun.
"...the Russian leader was tough in his words over the annexation of Crimea and the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine, once again blaming the West for starting the conflict – while ducking a sharp question from a Ukrainian journalist who asked how many Russian soldiers had died fighting there, and what he would say to their mothers." (ibid Daily Telegraph)
Why is it then that the likes of Merkel, Hollande, Renzi, and the 'fragrant' Mogherini, continue to place nearly ALL their diplomatic eggs into the Minsk Protocols basket? Putin is continuously signalling that he simply will NOT 'back down over Ukraine'. Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is,
"Is Putin's fervent nationalistic stance purely for his Russian audience; to somehow deflect their gaze away from the dire Russian economy and towards those 'bloodthisty' western opponents of Russia?"
Many western 'political pundits' are of the opinion that this is, indeed, the case. But for how long can this last? How long can Putin literally 'pull the wool' over the eyes of the Russian people? Nothwithstanding the fact that Putin is practically in complete control over what the Russian people hear and see and read, nevertheless there comes a point when all his 'patriotic' nationalistic fervour is bound to run into a buffer. And that buffer is the failing Russian economy, the falling value of the rouble, and the increasingly rapid rise in the price of basic goods such as food.
As John Simpson says in the video,
" ... Next month (Jan 2015) the big price rises will start coming through and the economic FREEZE will be [in Russia] in earnest."
On the same day as Putin 'met the press',
“... President [Obama] signed into law H.R.
5859, the "Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014," which contains
sanctions provisions on various Russian persons and entities and
military and non-military assistance authorities for Ukraine.”Coupled to this are the new sanctions that are being imposed by the EU, specifically "outlawing European investment in Crimea". These are far more modest than the sanction provisions contained in the bill that Obama signed.
Yet at the same time, the 'fragrant' Mogherini has stated that,
“The fact that Russia is in a difficult situation from a financial point
of view is not good news, first of all for Russian citizens, but also
it is not good news for Ukraine, it is not good for Europe or for the
rest of the world,” Ms. Mogherini told reporters ahead of a summit
meeting in Brussels of European leaders." (President François Hollande of France said that if “Russia sends the signals we expect” and curbs its support for armed rebels in eastern Ukraine, Europe should shift to a softer approach with Moscow." (ibid Andrew Higgins)
Yet Merkel, who spoke to her Russian counterpart by phone on Wednesday (17 Dec. 2014), noted that [Putin] has made many promises. But she said Russia continues to flout several items in the so-called
Minsk peace plan and all she can do is “hope” that a recent ceasfire
will hold."If the President of the Russian Federation, Putin, said about the territorial integrity of Ukraine [then] he must believe in the word", said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
She said that the message of the President of Russia made during a recent phone conversations With the heads of Germany, France and Ukraine ( " channel format " ), RIA " Novosti." If he (President of Russia) said that [he] is committed to the territorial integrity of Ukraine, we must believe his word and work on it, " Merkel said after an EU summit in Brussels. (News RIN.ru: 19 December 2014)
How can Merkel say that we must believe the word of Putin when she also says that she has
"noted that [Putin] has made many promises. But she said Russia continues to flout several items in the so-called Minsk peace plan and all she can do is “hope” that a recent ceasfire will hold."?
History warns us that such "hope" can be very dangerous indeed. In this I am reminded of Neville Chamberlain who,
" .... amidst cheering crowds .. brandished a piece of paper signed by German Chancellor Adolf Hitler which he assured the British people that he had brought 'peace with honor' guaranteeing 'peace in our time'. The date was September 30th, 1938.
Hitler promptly proceeded to [violate] the Munich Agreements and his assurances to Chamberlain by invading Czechoslovakia (March 1939), just as,
"Russia continues to flout several items in the so-called Minsk peace plan ....",
.... and this from the mouth of Merkel herself.
Has Merkel become the modern Neville Chamberlain?
There is, truly, nothing new under the sun.
(to be continued)
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