Merkel is finally placing herself firmly in Putin's camp.

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the European Union's policy toward Eastern Europe is not intended to curtail Russian influence in the region. The EU is expected to reaffirm ties to six former Soviet republics.

In her speech in the German parliament Thursday, Merkel emphasized that "since Vilnius, marked progress has been achieved, for example with the association agreements with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia."
But she also made it clear that the "Eastern Partnership is not part of the EU's enlargement policy" and that "we should not foster false hope." (DW Deutsche Welle : 21.05.2015) (my emphasis)

There could be no clearer statement by the Putinversteher Merkel that, for all her bluster about Minsk2 and occupied Crimea, her sympathies lay entirely with Putin, at the expense of Ukraine.

Merkel is actually saying that Putin's influence on Ukraine should not be curtailed. How else could her statement be interpreted when the 'Eastern Partnership' comprises the countries of Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan?

Furthermore, as Giorgi Lomsadze writes,

"In a smack-down to Georgia and Ukraine’s European aspirations, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on May 21 that the two countries should not have expectations for a visa-free regime with the EU anytime soon." (Eurasianet : May 21, 2015) (my emphasis)

In contrast, David Cameron (below left), British Prime Minister, is,

"Supporting the continued enlargement of the EU to new members but with new mechanisms in place to "prevent vast migrations across the Continent" (BBC News : 13 May 2015) (my emphasis)

Unlike Merkel, Cameron is in favour of supporting Ukraine in its efforts to become a fully fledged member of the EU. 

At today's Riga summit about the 'Eastern Partnership' he will be pushing not only for EU reforms, but also for EU enlargement.

Katya Adler (left) informs us that, with the economic problems being faced by many EU member countries,

"there is a widespread hunger for reform in the EU - from the north amongst the Scandinavian countries to Europe's southern reaches." (BBC News : 21 May 2015) (my emphasis)

Cameron is well aware that reforming the EU is fraught with competing interests.

And whilst Merkel may support Cameron on some elements of EU reform, where Ukraine is concerned she has dug in her heels on giving Putin what he wants, as evidenced by her sticking like glue first to the failed Minsk1 'ceasefire', and now to the hopelessly failing Minsk2 'ceasefire'.

Is it any wonder that Victoria Nuland (right), U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, on her recent visit to Moscow,

"[now expects] to explore ways of bolstering a fragile ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists and of implementing other aspects of a peace agreement forged in Minsk several months ago" (Breitbart News : 19 May 2015) (my emphasis),

and that some are viewing her call for greater US involvement, in ensuring that the Minsk2 proposals are fully implemented, as a counter to Merkel bending over backwards to accomodate Putin's criminal hold over Ukraine and Ukrainian Crimea?

In particular, Nuland is not only concerned with the fragile 'ceasefire' between Putin's forces and the Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine, but also with the implemention of, " other aspects of a peace agreement forged in Minsk several months ago".

And whilst all this 'diplomatic' to-ing and fro-ing is going on, Dmitry Zaks informs us that,

"Kiev lawmakers on Thursday annulled five crucial security agreements with Moscow that had allowed Russia to transport troops to a separatist region of Moldova and purchase weapons that are only produced in Ukraine." (Kiev AFP : 21 May,2015) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Peter Leonard informs us,

"Ukraine is open to considering proposals to place a ballistic missile-defense system on its territory to ward off the risk of attacks from Russia, a senior Ukrainian defense official said Wednesday. So far no one has offered." (Associated Press | May 21, 2015) (my emphasis)

And as further evidence of direct Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine, Christian Borys reports that,

"Russia is using advanced drones to monitor the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian forces who claim to have shot down two of the aircraft this month.

The announcement comes shortly after Ukraine’s capture of two men it says are Russian special forces troops, and will be used as further evidence of Russia’s involvement in a conflict it has always denied playing a part in." (The Guardian : 21 May 2015)

Merkel has finally come clean by saying that the,

"Eastern Partnership is not part of the EU's enlargement policy" and that "we should not foster false hope.". 

In other words, Merkel is really saying, "To hell with the hopes of Maidan".

In effect, Merkel is saying, "To hell with the Ukrainian people".

(to be continued)