War with Ukraine is NOW the ONLY tool that Putin has in his political toolbox.

The one thing that Putin has dangerously miscaculated since massing his troops along the Ukrainian-Russian border was that neither the US nor, for that matter, either NATO or critical members of the EU, will simply allow themselves to be cowed by his 'mafia-like' threats or demands.

Putin's so-called "red lines" about NATO, US, and EU support for Ukraine have now escalated into "mafia" demands that NATO, in particular, remove ALL its links and support from previous Warsaw Pact countries that now enjoy living under NATO's  protective umbrella.

                                            Channel 4 : Youtube : 20 December 2021

 

Even that "favourite" threat of Putin viz. unleashing nuclear war, has NOT made the Western supporters of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity blink!

BBC News : Youtube : 20 December 2021

As reported by Marc Bennetts,

"Moscow threatened an escalation in tensions with western countries if Nato does not meet its demand to withdraw forces from member states in eastern and central Europe, with Russian state media warning viewers that the two powers could go to war.

“The United States must sign off on its hegemony; its hegemony is over,” a presenter on the Rossiya 1 channel said,

“Either they step back voluntarily or we’ll make them do it by force. And Russia makes no guarantees about the survival of Ukraine, especially as a sovereign state. Maybe we really are on the eve of war with Nato.” (The Times : 20 December 2021) (my emphasis)

We now also learn that,

"Now the United States and Britain have quietly dispatched cyberwarfare experts to Ukraine in hopes of better preparing the country to confront what they think may be the next move by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as he again menaces the former Soviet republic: Not an invasion with the 175,000 troops he is massing on the border, but cyberattacks that take down the electric grid, the banking system, and other critical components of Ukraine’s economy and government." (David E. Sanger and Julian E. Barnes (right): New York Times : 20 December 2021) (my emphasis)

More significantly, the US Embassy in Ukraine has issued a 'Level 4 : Do Not Travel' to US citizens, partly because,

" .... advise U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine due to COVID-19 and to reconsider travel due to increased threats from Russia." (US Embassy Kyiv : 20 December 2021) (my emphasis)

Meanwhile, Yuras Karmanau reports that,

"Poland and Lithuania joined Ukraine on Monday to call for stronger Western sanctions against Moscow amid a Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border that has fueled fears of an invasion.
...
the three leaders “called upon the international community to step up sanctions on the Russian Federation over its ongoing aggression against Ukraine and once again urged the Kremlin to de-escalate the situation by withdrawing its troops from the Ukrainian borders and temporarily occupied territories.” (AP News : 20 December 2021) (my emphasis)

It is not, however, only the US and 'some' EU countries who are strongly supporting Ukraine.

As reported by Matthew Bryza and Grady Wilson,

"Ankara is raising the stakes by doubling down on its defense cooperation with Kyiv and recommitting itself to the continued sale of dozens of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), much to Russia’s ire.
...
Even more compelling is Turkey’s growing concern over an expansionist (and revanchist) Russia near its borders in the Black Sea and South Caucasus regions. Ankara has responded to Moscow’s aggression by becoming one of the strongest proponents of enlarging NATO membership to include both Ukraine and Georgia—even while offering to mediate the conflict in Ukraine." (Atlantic Council : 16 Decem,ber 2021) (my emphasis)

Putin has painted himself into a corner from which there is no escape, except to do the unthinkable and plunge Russia into a war with Ukraine that will have consequences throughout Europe and, possibly, the world.

This is the ONLY tool that Putin now has in his political toolbox.

(to be continued)