Are we at all surprised that Ban Ki-Moon, the retiring Secretary General of the UN, should, at the Kremlin sponsored , say that Russia,
"has a critical role to play ... in
addressing other pressing global issues, from ending the conflicts in
Ukraine and Syria, to safeguarding human rights and controlling the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction." (
16 June 2016) (my emphasis)
Yet whilst Ban Ki-Moon is soft-peddaling on Putin's war with Ukraine,
"More Russian military hardware and fuel materials are reported to have been deployed to the militant-occupied city of Khartsyzk in the Donetsk region." (UT : Jun. 12, 2016)
Let us also remind ourselves of what U.N. Human Rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani (right) recently said.
“There have been strongly credible reports of servicemen from across the border from Russia coming into and out of Ukrainian territory," she said. "And, the same goes for heavy weaponry as well. There have been very credible reports.” (Lisa Schlein : VOA : June 03, 2016) (my emphasis)
It is therefore no wonder that,
"Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko (left) told
reporters he was incensed by Ban's remarks which came across as praise
of Moscow, which the Kiev government and Western powers accuse of
supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. (ibid
Andriy Vasyliev (right) is of the opinion that,
"There will be no UN peacekeeping operation in Donbas - it is completely
clear now, although six months ago, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry still
fostered this hope." (UNIAN : Friday, 17 June 2016) (my emphasis)
This conclusion of his derives from the fact that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressing the UN Security Council stated that,
"The United Nations is determined to work collectively to support Governments to protect their people, and to persuade parties to conflict to abide by their obligations. But, even the most effective peacekeeping can never protect every civilian from harm.” (ibid Andriy Vasyliev) (my emphasis)
But, as Andriy Vasyliev further reports,
" ... against the backdrop of the UNSC’s (UN Security Council) inaction many UN member states back a Franco-Mexican initiative to
cancel the right to veto in the Security Council when it comes to mass
casualties in conflict areas. Then the UN Security will be able to pass
decisions by simple majority. Under these conditions, the deployment of
"blue helmets" in Donbas is actually a question solved."
Ban Ki-Moon recognises that parties involved in conflicts have to "abide by their obligations".
When, however, Putin continues to simply walk all over the Minsk2 protocols by continuing to ferry armaments and Russian soldiers into the Donbas, and ensuring that the 'ceasefire' is trampled upon by his rebel proxies and soldiers in Donbas, a strange 'blindness' seems to befall Ban Ki-Moon.
As
"Russia is violating
an internationally-agreed ceasefire in Ukraine "again and again", NATO's
chief [Jens Stoltenberg (right)] said on Wednesday, accusing Moscow of continuing to arm
separatists in the conflict at the center of East-West tensions." (Reuters :
Chairman of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy (left) has stated that,
"Russia may step up military action in Ukraine at any time," he said
at a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Council of the NATO-Ukraine in
Kyiv on Tuesday.
Ukraine should be prepared to repel one of the largest armies on the continent." (UNIAN : 14 June 2016) (my emphasis)
Putin's continuing military buildup in the Donbas has precipitated,
"NATO defense ministers [agreeing] on Wednesday to boost NATO's support for
Ukraine with a Comprehensive Package of Assistance. The Package aims to
help Ukraine strengthen its defenses by building stronger security
structures.
...
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg explained that the Comprehensive Package brings together all the strands of NATO's support, and will "help Ukraine establish more effective and efficient defence and security structures, and to strengthen civilian control over them." (China Economic Net : 16-06-2016) (my emphasis)
Is it this NATO support for Ukraine that is now giving Putin sleepless nights?
As reported by
"President Putin’s strongman mask has slipped after he was caught complaining about his lack of sleep.
“I don’t sleep much,” a tired-looking Mr Putin told Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, during small talk in advance of a joint press conference in Minsk this week.
“The day before yesterday I slept four hours. Last night, five hours. I get to bed at three and I wake up at eight.”
Mr Lukashenko nodded sympathetically. “That’s bad,” he said. (The Times : June 10 2016) (my emphasis) (cf. also Will Stewart)
(to be continued)
"has a critical role to play ... in
addressing other pressing global issues, from ending the conflicts in
Ukraine and Syria, to safeguarding human rights and controlling the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction." (16 June 2016) (my emphasis)
Yet whilst Ban Ki-Moon is soft-peddaling on Putin's war with Ukraine,"More Russian military hardware and fuel materials are reported to have been deployed to the militant-occupied city of Khartsyzk in the Donetsk region." (UT : Jun. 12, 2016)
Let us also remind ourselves of what U.N. Human Rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani (right) recently said.“There have been strongly credible reports of servicemen from across the border from Russia coming into and out of Ukrainian territory," she said. "And, the same goes for heavy weaponry as well. There have been very credible reports.” (Lisa Schlein : VOA : June 03, 2016) (my emphasis)
It is therefore no wonder that,
"Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko (left) told
reporters he was incensed by Ban's remarks which came across as praise
of Moscow, which the Kiev government and Western powers accuse of
supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. (ibid Andriy Vasyliev (right) is of the opinion that,
"There will be no UN peacekeeping operation in Donbas - it is completely
clear now, although six months ago, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry still
fostered this hope." (UNIAN : Friday, 17 June 2016) (my emphasis)This conclusion of his derives from the fact that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressing the UN Security Council stated that,
"The United Nations is determined to work collectively to support Governments to protect their people, and to persuade parties to conflict to abide by their obligations. But, even the most effective peacekeeping can never protect every civilian from harm.” (ibid Andriy Vasyliev) (my emphasis)
But, as Andriy Vasyliev further reports,
" ... against the backdrop of the UNSC’s (UN Security Council) inaction many UN member states back a Franco-Mexican initiative to
cancel the right to veto in the Security Council when it comes to mass
casualties in conflict areas. Then the UN Security will be able to pass
decisions by simple majority. Under these conditions, the deployment of
"blue helmets" in Donbas is actually a question solved."Ban Ki-Moon recognises that parties involved in conflicts have to "abide by their obligations".
When, however, Putin continues to simply walk all over the Minsk2 protocols by continuing to ferry armaments and Russian soldiers into the Donbas, and ensuring that the 'ceasefire' is trampled upon by his rebel proxies and soldiers in Donbas, a strange 'blindness' seems to befall Ban Ki-Moon.
As
"Russia is violating
an internationally-agreed ceasefire in Ukraine "again and again", NATO's
chief [Jens Stoltenberg (right)] said on Wednesday, accusing Moscow of continuing to arm
separatists in the conflict at the center of East-West tensions." (Reuters : 
Chairman of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy (left) has stated that,Ukraine should be prepared to repel one of the largest armies on the continent." (UNIAN : 14 June 2016) (my emphasis)
Putin's continuing military buildup in the Donbas has precipitated,
"NATO defense ministers [agreeing] on Wednesday to boost NATO's support for
Ukraine with a Comprehensive Package of Assistance. The Package aims to
help Ukraine strengthen its defenses by building stronger security
structures....
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg explained that the Comprehensive Package brings together all the strands of NATO's support, and will "help Ukraine establish more effective and efficient defence and security structures, and to strengthen civilian control over them." (China Economic Net : 16-06-2016) (my emphasis)
Is it this NATO support for Ukraine that is now giving Putin sleepless nights?
As reported by
"President Putin’s strongman mask has slipped after he was caught complaining about his lack of sleep.
“I don’t sleep much,” a tired-looking Mr Putin told Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, during small talk in advance of a joint press conference in Minsk this week.
“The day before yesterday I slept four hours. Last night, five hours. I get to bed at three and I wake up at eight.”
Mr Lukashenko nodded sympathetically. “That’s bad,” he said. (The Times : June 10 2016) (my emphasis) (cf. also Will Stewart)
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