Putin's economy on the verge of being bailed out, at the expense of Ukraine.

There are ominous developments in the air.

Suddenly the EU, US, and Canada are all pushing Ukraine towards a compromise with Putin.

The tri-lateral group (pictured below: Kutchmna (Ukraine), Gryslov (Russia),  and Special Representative of the OSCE) that met in Minsk on 27th January have come up with, what they call,

" 'The [Putinversteher] Steinmeier Formula,' [which] provides for elections in Donbas and amending the Constitution of Ukraine to grant autonomy for the militant-held areas." (UT : Jan. 28, 2016) (my emphasis)

At the same time, Mike Blanchfield reports that,

"[Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane] Dion (right) said Canada remains a steadfast friend of Ukraine, but will be open to talking to Russia because it could serve Canada's needs, including in the Arctic where the two countries have shared interests.

"Today, the United States is speaking to Russia. Europe is speaking to Russia. Japan is speaking to Russia," Dion said.  (CBC News : Jan 28, 2016) (my emphasis)

And coming out of the woodworm to support Stephane Dion we have none other than that 'dyed-in-the-wool Soviet' foreing minister, Lavrov himself!

As reported by Susan Ormiston,

"Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reached out Tuesday to the new government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while decrying the government of Trudeau's predecessor Stephen Harper as "Russia-phobic."
.....
Lavrov said Russia "was stunned by the absence of pragmatism" as Canada followed the "blatant interests of the Ukrainian diaspora ignoring Canada's national interests."
 .....
Russia looks forward to new relations with Canada, Lavrov said." (CBC News : Jan 26, 2016) (my emphasis)

Recall that as early as Sep. 21, 2015,

"European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini has joined Angela Merkel of Germany in calling for local elections in the wartorn east of Ukraine to be held under Ukrainian law, after Russian-backed militants suggested they would hold their own independent elections." (UT : Sep. 21, 2015)

This position of the EU in September of last year does not quite square with the current 'Steinmeier Formula' that specifically states that the Ukrainian contitution must be changed to grant autonomy for the militant-held areas in Donbas.

Of what value, therefore, would it be to hold elections in this 'autonomous' region of Ukraine?

If the region becomes 'autonomous', even within Ukraine itself, it follows logically that this 'autonomous' region should then determine HOW elections within it are held.

For the 'fragrant' Fedrerica Mogherini and Angela Merkel to say that any elections in this new 'Steinmeier' autonomous region must be within Ukrainian law is totally illogical.

This is precisely the strategy employed by Putin and his 'glove puppet' Medvedev, when Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, supporting the 'breakaway' Georgia regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. (Wikipedia)

And it is now coming to fruition in Ukraine.

So why is the EU, the US, and Canada suddenly coming to the aid of Putin?

They simply cannot afford Putin's economy to implode!

Like the bailout of the US and EU banks during the economic crisis of 2007-2008, which threatened the collapse of large western financial institutions and, 

" ....  which was prevented by the bailout of banks by national governments, but stock markets still dropped worldwide." (Wikipedia),

we now have call for the lifting of sanctions against Putin being near identical to the bailout of banks in 2007-2008, that prevented a worldwide 'depression'. 

And the price of  Putin's  economic bailout is on the heads of Ukrainians.

Roman Bezsmertnyi (below: left), who represents Ukrainian members of the Minsk Trilateral group, correctly stated that,

"... the implementation of the [Steinmeier] plan was written in Moscow and is unrealistic.

 Bezsmertny said statements by his Russian counterparts at the Minsk talks are tantamount to "political weaseling." (UT : Jan. 28, 2016)

Furthermore, the UT report states that,

"Leading Ukrainian parliament deputies from the largest pro-presidential and pro-government factions have for weeks said that it is impossible to hold democratic elections in Donbas until combined Russian-separatist forces withdraw themselves and their weapons from Ukraine." (ibid UT) (my emphasis)

Will Putin withdraw his Russian soldiers and military equipment from the rebel-held territory of eastern Ukraine if the Steinmeier (right) Formula of granting autonomy to these rebel-held territories is implemented?


Go ahead little piggies ... Fly ... Fly ... Fly


(to be continued)