Putin's aims for Ukraine spelt out

Yesterday Kenneth Rapoza reported that,

"Putin, "while addressing a commemoration ceremony for the annexation of Crimea", was,"... quick to blame Ukraine nationalists for the country’s problems today. Ukraine economic history has largely been plagued by corrupt regimes, and natural gas fights with Russia, [he said]." (Forbes : 18/3/2015) (my emphasis)

Yet, as Theodore P. Gerber has pointed out,

"Since the onset of the Putin era, Russian nationalism has seemed to play a prominent role in Russian politics. Putin himself has invoked a range of nationalist images, themes, and tropes over the years in his efforts to define his goals, justify his policies, and maintain public support. ..... Of course, the Russian government rationalized its recent incursion into Crimea as an effort to protect ethnic Russians residing there, an overtly nationalist argument. (The Washington Quaterly : November 01, 2014) (my emphasis)

The very act of him holding this obscene 'commemoration ceremony' about the invasion of, and annexing of, Ukrainian Crimea, on the very steps of the Kremlin, rather says it all. But let Putin speak for himself.

What he said is rather disconcerting viz. that,

"In Russia we have always thought that Russians and Ukrainians were of one nation ...."

Furthermore that,

"From our side we will do everything possible for Ukraine to pass this difficult period of development as soon as possible and we'll restore "normal" relations between our countries .."

Putin is telling the world that his war with Ukraine is NOT over. He is telling the world that his goal is to fully integrate Ukraine into Russia; to re-create his one nation.

And to this end, his proxies and Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine are hell bent on ensuring that the Minsk2 'ceasefire' fails. Every 'diplomatic' trick is being used by both themselves and that dyed-in-the-wool Soviet foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, to scupper Minsk2.

As reported by the Associated Press,


"Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine threatened Wednesday to abandon a cease-fire following changes to a law granting their regions self-rule.
Alexander Zakharchenko (left) and Igor Plotnitsky said in a statement that legislation giving areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions special status has been weakened by the amendments." (Associated Press : Fox News : March 18, 2015)

Similarly,

"Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) said the adoption of the legislation by Ukraine's parliament "in essence rewrites the agreements or, more simply put, grossly violates them" despite Kiev arguing it is in line with the February peace pact.

He objected to Kiev's requirement that before autonomy is granted, the separatists must hold local elections under Ukrainian law, with international monitoring." (Agence France Presse : March 18, 2015) (my emphasis)

Why would Lavrov object to the holding of elections on Ukrainian soil, under Ukrainian electoral rules, and under the full gaze of international monitoring? 

Because the rebel-held territories in eastern Ukraine is already seen by Putin as a new Abkhazia and Ossetia that can then be annexed into Russia.

One can only hope that this imminent and complete breakdown of the Minsk2 ceasefire focusses the minds of EU leaders at their summit today where the situation in Ukraine is to be discussed.    

Donald Tusk, current European Council President will be pressing,

" ... EU leaders to pledge [today] to keep sanctions on Russia until a Ukraine ceasefire deal is fully in place, effectively extending sanctions until at least the end of the year.
Europe must maintain pressure on Russia with sanctions until Ukraine has full control of its borders, Tusk (right)  said in an interview with several newspapers published on Monday." (Reuters : Mon Mar 16, 2015) (my emphasis)

Will the pro-Putin lobby in the EU acknowledge today that unless greater pressure is put upon Putin he will relentlessly pursue his goal of "doing everything possible to absorb Ukraine into Russia"?

Or will they simply close their mouth, eyes, and ears, to the reality of what Putin is doing in eastern Ukraine and in Ukrainian Crimea.

(to be continued)