Putin's Syrian gambit, and his build-up of forces on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Stepping into the abyss?

The resignation of Ukrainian Economy Minister, Aivaras Abromavicius (left), has brought to the fore the clarion call of the Maidan protestors of 2013 that corruption within Ukraine had to be rooted out and a 'new', uncorruptible, society and parliament be established.

In the words of Ukrainian Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatseniuk (right),

" ... ideally all ministers and their deputies should not have been in politics prior to the 2013/14 Maidan uprising, which ousted a president under whom oligarchs wielded huge political influence and state firms were milked." ( Natalia Zinets and Alessandra Prentice : Reuters : Fri Feb 5, 2016) (my emphasis)

 Echoing Arseniy Yatseniuk we have Ukraine's Finance, Minister Natalie Jaresko (left), stating that,

" ... there is a need for: "unconditional support of the reform program; the program of cooperation with the IMF, including the need to urgently pass laws that will ensure transparent privatization; no political interference in the change of the management of the top 60 state-run enterprises on the basis of an independent nomination committee, and de-politicization of the State Fiscal Service." (Interfax Ukraine : 06.02.2016) (my emphasis)

The political upheaval casued by the resignation of Aivaras Abromavicius is also having its repercussions in the EU.

As reported by Robin Emmott,

“If Ukraine doesn’t come through with the reforms linked to the Minsk peace process, it will be very difficult for Europe to continue united in support for sanctions against Russia,” Kristian Jensen (right) [Denmark’s foreign minister] told Reuters, referring to the peace deal agreed by Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany last year."
.....
Sanctions expire in July and can be extended.

But countries with a closer relationship with Russia including Cyprus, Italy and Hungary could argue that if Ukraine is not abiding by the Minsk peace deal, the process no longer holds. (Euro News : Reuters, 05/02/2016) (my emphasis)

This argument that Ukraine is not abiding by the Minsk2 deal simply ignores the fact that, as stated by Roman Bessmertnyi (left),

"[The] plan to link free and fair elections in Donbas to greater autonomy is unrealistic. Ukrainian members of the Minsk Trilateral Group say their Russian counterparts in the talks on January 27 delivered a proposal for ending Russian's invasion of east Ukraine.

The plan, dubbed 'The Steinmeier Formula,' 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)

The ORDER of Protocols 9 - 12 of the Minsk2 agreement specifically states that:

1. Restore control of the state border to the Ukrainian government in the whole conflict zone, which has to start on the first day after the local election and end after the full political regulation (local elections in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts based on the law of Ukraine and Constitutional reform) by the end of 2015, on the condition of fulfillment of Point 11 – in consultations and in agreement with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.
2. Pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision. Disarmament of all illegal groups.
3. Constitutional reform in Ukraine, with a new constitution to come into effect by the end of 2015, the key element of which is decentralisation (taking into account peculiarities of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, agreed with representatives of these districts), and also approval of permanent legislation on the special status of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in accordance with the measures spelt out in the attached footnote, by the end of 2015.
4. Based on the Law of Ukraine "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts", questions related to local elections will be discussed and agreed upon with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group. Elections will be held in accordance with relevant OSCE standards and monitored by OSCE/ODIHR. (Wikipedia)

Putin has NOT implemented protocols (1) and (2). He has neither withdrawn his Russian soldiers, nor his military equipment, from the rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine. Neither has he returned the border between Ukraine and Russia back to the Ukrainian authorities. 

And yet Cyprus, Italy, and Hungary are once again clamouring for an end to EU sanctions against Russia.

Why is there such a deafening silence from them over Putin's non-implementation of the Minsk2 proposals (1) and (2) outlined above?

Is this because, as reported by Reuters in Brussels,

“[A] US official said Russia used fewer precision-guided munitions [in Syria] than the US and its allies.

The Russian strikes [in Syria] that are not precise cause me great concern because I think there is an indirect correlation to the refugee flow,” the official said. “It is not just the pressure it is putting on Nato and the EU, it is also the humanitarian cost.”(The Guardian : Saturday 9 January 2016) (my emphasis)

Are events in Syria now becoming inextricably intertwined with events in Ukraine?

(to be continued)