Ukraine president pushes for fast cease-fire, defensive arms

[Lite Beer]

Ukraine president pushes for fast cease-fire, defensive arms
GEIR MOULSON, Associated Press

MUNICH (AP) — Ukraine's president pushed for both a quick cease-fire in his country's troubled east and defensive weapons from the West, as mediators sought momentum Saturday for a deal to stem the fighting at Europe's edge.

Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin are to confer with the leaders of Germany and France by phone Sunday in an effort to overcome months of setbacks and suspicion and breathe new life into a much-violated September peace plan. But even those who had scheduled the call were cautious about its prospects.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel — who along with French President Francois Hollande traveled to Kiev on Thursday and Moscow on Friday — acknowledged disillusionment over the failure of previous agreements to stick and said "there are no theoretical guarantees" that a new one would either.

Western anxiety over the conflict is growing and sanctions are taking a toll on Russia's economy. More than 5,300 people have been killed since fighting began in April, according to a U.N. tally, and the bloodshed has markedly increased over the past two weeks.

"I do not believe there will be a final solution on this situation. Putin is still not weak enough to accept that, and the West is not strong enough to insist on its terms," said Igor Sutyagin, an analyst with the Royal United Services Institute in Britain.

The resurgent fighting has prompted the U.S. to consider giving lethal weapons to Ukraine, an option opposed by European nations which fear the move would merely exacerbate the situation.

"I cannot imagine any situation in which improved equipment for the Ukrainian army leads to President Putin being so impressed that he believes he will lose militarily," Merkel said at the Munich Security Conference. "I have to put it that bluntly."

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who also attended the Munich conference, stopped short of explicitly addressing possible arms deliveries. "We will continue to provide Ukraine with security assistance not to encourage war, but to allow Ukraine to defend itself," he said.

Russia's most immediate goal is likely the lifting of some of the Western sanctions which, in concert with plunging oil prices, have driven the Russian economy into a parlous state — or at least to fend off the imposition of further sanctions. In the longer game, Russia has pushed for so-called "federalization" of Ukraine that would give broad powers to its provinces and allow them to deal directly with Moscow.

Russia also wants to keep Ukraine out of NATO. Although Ukraine dropped its nonalignment policy last year, the Western alliance would be unlikely to accept Ukraine anytime soon because of its unstable politics and endemic corruption.

France's president said a new peace deal could feature a broad demilitarized zone and greater autonomy for Ukraine's separatist eastern region. "These people have gone to war," Francois Hollande said. "It will be difficult to make them share a common life."

The aim is to draw up a possible joint document on implementing the September peace plan concluded in Minsk, Belarus. That widely disregarded agreement also featured a demilitarized zone, though the battle lines have since changed, and the government in Kiev has offered a measure of autonomy to the separatists.

While Germany and France are facilitating talks, "the important decisions must be made in Moscow and Kiev," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.

Poroshenko told the Munich conference that Ukraine stands ready for a "comprehensive and immediate cease-fire" and Russia should be too.

He indicated he wanted no peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine, saying they wouldn't be needed if foreign fighters withdrew and the Ukraine-Russia border was sealed. Then, he said, there would be "peace and stability in Ukraine ... within a couple of weeks."

"There is no temporary solution — this conflict must be resolved, not frozen," he said, alluding to long-time conflicts involving breakaway regions in Georgia and Moldova.

Later, Poroshenko suggested the Ukrainian side could be flexible on certain issues. He said he was open to discussing the size and contours of a proposed buffer zone separating the combatants, and was prepared to put the question of federalization to a referendum.

Merkel said it is uncertain whether the talks will succeed, "but it is, from my point of view and that of the French president, in any case worth making this attempt."

Biden agreed that an attempt was worthwhile but said Russia must be judged by its actions, "not by the paper they signed."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also said he hoped for results.

As soon as Kiev and eastern Ukrainian separatists agree on practical details of implementing the Minsk deal, "I am sure that Russia will be among those parties that will guarantee the implementation of this agreement," Lavrov told the conference. "But you can only guarantee what has already been achieved."

The United States and other Western countries contend Russia has supplied troops and equipment to the separatists in eastern Ukraine who have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since April. Russia denies the claims.

Lavrov also denounced "growing appeals in the West to ... pump Ukraine full with lethal weapons and to involve it in NATO." He said that "this position will only exacerbate the tragedy of Ukraine."

Poroshenko said talk of lethal weapons had been overdone and pointed to interest in equipment such as radar and jamming stations.

Ukraine has "proven to be responsible, that we will not use the defensive equipment to the attack," he said. "The stronger our defense, the more convincing is our diplomatic voice."

Meanwhile, fighting continued in eastern Ukraine. Five Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 26 wounded in fighting over the past day, Ukrainian security council spokesman Volodymyr Polyoviy said Saturday. The government website in the port city of Mariupol said one man was killed in shelling of the outlying settlement of Gnutove, which it blamed on rebels.

____

David Rising in Munich, Jim Heintz in Moscow and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-08

[Gonki]

I've seen news that Ukrainian army is selling US arms like night vision goggles and sniper rifles to Syria for cash.

"The stronger our defense, the more convincing is our diplomatic voice."

Translation: "The more weapons we resell the more cross border shopping trips our government officials will afford."

[PepperMe]

This Merkel and Hollande movement is the first signs that the EU are starting to break ranks from the USA foreign policy of intimidation towards Russia. Maybe they have woken up and come to their senses and seen the USA as having instigated this conflict from the very start and are now in an escalation mode. Or they have realised that the US is going to push them into a war that their people are going to be dead against.

Whatever it is, there is no way the US are going to accept this. They need the conflict to grow or their plans are scuppered. Russia WILL attack the Dollar and the US fake economy WILL collapse. 2015 is the year.

[F430murci]

This Merkel and Hollande movement is the first signs that the EU are starting to break ranks from the USA foreign policy of intimidation towards Russia. Maybe they have woken up and come to their senses and seen the USA as having instigated this conflict from the very start and are now in an escalation mode. Or they have realised that the US is going to push them into a war that their people are going to be dead against.

Whatever it is, there is no way the US are going to accept this. They need the conflict to grow or their plans are scuppered. Russia WILL attack the Dollar and the US fake economy WILL collapse. 2015 is the year.

US wants the conflict to end. Merkel and Hollande are not breaking ranks from US.

Part of my profession involves settling difficult matters. Do you think for a second that Obama sitting in the same room with Putin would foster a constructive settlement atmosphere? Heck no. Putting Obama and Putin in same room or on same line during settlement negotiations would be extremely counterproductive.

Russia cannot attack the dollar. Nothing Russia and its frail economy can muster will hurt the dollar.

I candidly think that Obama and Saudi are now letting oil prices slightly rise as a sign of good faith and to let Putin know Russia can begin to right the course if the conflict in Ukraine ends. Due to devaluation of the Ruble, an increase to $ 70 or $ 75 would be tremendous help to Russia.

If Putin does not resolve this on Wednesday, watch oil prices, watch Ruble, watch food orices in Russia, watch for lines at Russian Banks and watch what happens to Russia's stock.

[marquess]

The Kiev government that sends ballistic missiles against its own people is not worthy of the name government.

[Asiantravel]

Cyprus to offer military facilities to Russia: President

The air force base at which Russian planes will use is about 40 kilometers from Britain's sovereign Air Force base at Akrotiri, on the south shores of Cyprus, which provides support to NATO operations in the Middle and Near East regions

http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2015-02/07/content_34758866.htm

[F430murci]

Cyprus to offer military facilities to Russia: President

The air force base at which Russian planes will use is about 40 kilometers from Britain's sovereign Air Force base at Akrotiri, on the south shores of Cyprus, which provides support to NATO operations in the Middle and Near East regions

http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2015-02/07/content_34758866.htm

Cyprus denies 'Russia deal on military bases'

. . .

But Mr Kasoulides dismissed the leasing claim, saying "there has never been any request from Russia about this", the Cyprus News Agency CNA reported.

He said President Anastasiades was referring to "the renewal of a military co-operation agreement with Russia consisting of maintenance of military equipment sold to Cyprus years ago, as well as the purchase of spare parts according to existing contracts".

Russian warships can already use the Limassol base for refuelling and the Andreas Papandreou air base for humanitarian missions.

http://m.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31293330

[danmarnj]

The rebels have sophisticated surface to air missiles, jamming devices and hi tech equipment that they could only have secured from Russia. The rebels are not a rag-tag bunch, but well trained by russian special forces. They all carry their guns in the same manner and have uniforms. The Russians are not in it for a cease fire, they are in for the long run and have high ambitions

[F430murci]

The rebels have sophisticated surface to air missiles, jamming devices and hi tech equipment that they could only have secured from Russia. The rebels are not a rag-tag bunch, but well trained by russian special forces. They all carry their guns in the same manner and have uniforms. The Russians are not in it for a cease fire, they are in for the long run and have high ambitions

This article discusses how Ukraine forces have been placed a severe disadvantage by rebels' use high technology weapons Kiev does not have and cannot match in the battle field.

http://m.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31146595

[Publicus]

Andrea Mitchell of NBC News in the USA just today said "rebel" fighters captured in Ukraine have Russian passports as native born citizens of the Russian Federation.

I hadn't heard this so maybe this is the first time this has been reported.

The "rebel" forces do not have any military ID card but any regular military force such as the Ukraine regular Army knows when it is fighting ad hoc rebel forces or the forces of a regular army of a nation state, and the "rebels" it has captured and whose wounded or dead bodies the Ukrkaine military have examined are of military age rather than inclusive of older fighters of an ad hoc military force.

[ggold]

[F430murci]

ggold, that video that was first picked up by Zerohedge in the day of the Matiupol shelling and a day kater by infowars has been addressed many times and that video has been deleted many times for various reasons. Nevertheless, 1,300 troops from various NATO countries have been in Ukraine for training purposes since Fall of 2014. Easy Googke search.. Difference between use of Russian forces to invade another country and NATO forces helping country that is being invaded.

Gotta love this. In typical Tussian fashion they are once again rewriting history and perhaps their text books regarding the history of Crimea.

----------

With New Moves, Russia's Parliament Looks To Rewrite History

. . .

Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev transferred the Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954 as a gift. It was an administrative move that didn't seem to matter much at the time, because both republics were part of the Soviet Union.

But when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Crimea remained part of Ukraine, and many Russians felt they'd been deprived of a region that had belonged to them for centuries

Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament, says she expects to pass a bill this spring that will "establish the fact that ... in 1954, an illegal act was committed" when Crimea was transferred to Ukraine.

The aim, she says, is to restore "historic and legal justice." If Crimea was never legally given to Ukraine, then it should still belong to Russia today, the reasoning goes.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2015/02/10/385197419/with-new-moves-russias-parliament-looks-to-rewrite-history