Russia to blame for "hot war" in Ukraine: U.S. special envoy

[webfact]

Russia to blame for "hot war" in Ukraine: U.S. special envoy

By Natalia Zinets and Matthias Williams

 

A soldier of the separatist self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic walks in a field near the line of contact with the Ukrainian army at the so-called Svetlodarskaya bulge in Luhansk region, December 19, 2016. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/File Photo

 

KIEV (Reuters) - Russian aggression is to blame for violence in eastern Ukraine, where people are dying in what should be seen as a "hot war" rather than a "frozen conflict", the U.S. special envoy to the Ukraine peace talks said on a visit to Ukraine on Sunday.

 

Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, was appointed to his current role on July 7 to help resolve the conflict between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists, which has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014.

 

Washington cites the conflict as a key obstacle to better relations with Russia.

 

On a visit to the Ukrainian-held town of Kramatorsk, 690 km (430 miles) southeast of Kiev, Volker said he would prepare a set of recommendations on how Washington can better engage with the peace process.

 

"This is not a frozen conflict, this is a hot war, and it's an immediate crisis that we all need to address as quickly as possible," he said.

 

Relations between Ukraine and Russia went into freefall after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the subsequent outbreak of a pro-Russian insurgency in the eastern Donbass region.

 

Ukraine accuses Russian of sending in its own soldiers and military equipment, which Moscow denies.

 

Volker replied in the affirmative when asked whether he saw the conflict as being as the result of Russian aggression rather than internal Ukrainian factors.

 

"We've seen what's happened, we understand the way this conflict has begun, we understand the way it is being managed today, and that's why it's important that the United States become more engaged."

 

Fighting in the Donbass region has killed 12 people in a particularly bloody week, prompting Germany and France to urge immediate progress in implementing ceasefire agreements signed in Belarus in 2015 that are regularly flouted.

 

Leaders of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia will speak by phone on Monday to discuss the conflict.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in early July that Russia must make the first move to bring peace to Ukraine, which President Petro Poroshenko called a powerful signal of Washington's backing.

 

A career diplomat, Volker is a former aide to Republican Senator John McCain, a Russia hawk who wants the United States to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, a move the previous administration under Barack Obama shied away from.

 

(Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-24

[boomerangutang]

I could have told the US State Dept. that, months ago.  

Anyhow, Putin likes it, so therefore Trump likes it.   Next, Putin's thugs can go invade Latvia, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, or maybe Azerbaijan, where Ivanka has some local mob-connected friends - trying to help her to get a Trump building there.

[retarius]

You only need to listen to the leaked tape of Ambassador Nuland to understand what a load of baloney this is. Ukraine's democracy hijacked by the US and EU in an episode of breath-taking hypocrisy.

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, retarius said:

You only need to listen to the leaked tape of Ambassador Nuland to understand what a load of baloney this is. Ukraine's democracy hijacked by the US and EU in an episode of breath-taking hypocrisy.

So Putin's admission his troops were in Ukraine means nothing?  Seriously?  Wow...talk about hypocrisy.

[JHolmesJr]

8 minutes ago, retarius said:

You only need to listen to the leaked tape of Ambassador Nuland to understand what a load of baloney this is. Ukraine's democracy hijacked by the US and EU in an episode of breath-taking hypocrisy.

i wonder if they are going to carry out a probe of how the usa interfered in their elections….lol

[Rancid]

This claim always confuses me, seems most know little history of the region. The elected government was ousted in a coup financed by the US and replaced with a rather nasty right wing regime. Now I'm not sure how a coup is recognized by democracies as being a legitimate government?

 

Secondly Russians only warm water port was in the Crimea, which also used to be part of Russia but was awarded to Ukraine in the Soviet times. It would be something similar to the Russians orchestrating a coup in Hawaii and the USA just saying OK, we will pack up our fleet and move it somewhere else, would never ever happen.

 

The Crimean people voted and seceded the Ukraine, however no one is yet to show the vote was in anyway rigged, just that succession was illegal, although the coup was regarded as perfectly acceptable?

 

So we have the US demanding the Russians leave their main eastern port, and this is something that is never going to happen, and for the same reasons no other power would either. Especially as the US would then have a major military base on Russia's border. In fact the US already had contractors organized to start work in the Crimea to convert it to a NATO base, so one can deduce from that this whole coup was planned well in advance.

[craigt3365]

4 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

i wonder if they are going to carry out a probe of how the usa interfered in their elections….lol

They are already going after Russia for interfering with Ukraine's elections.  Luckily!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/15/nato-stages-summit-to-counter-alleged-russian-interference-in-elections

Quote

Security specialists from 27 countries including Britain and the US are meeting in Prague on Monday in what has been billed as the most concerted attempt yet to counter alleged Kremlin destabilisation measures aimed at undermining western elections.

 

Amazing how 27 counties recognize Russian meddling as a problem.  Yet a few posters here only see the US as a problem. 

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, Rancid said:

This claim always confuses me, seems most know little history of the region. The elected government was ousted in a coup financed by the US and replaced with a rather nasty right wing regime. Now I'm not sure how a coup is recognized by democracies as being a legitimate government?

 

Secondly Russians only warm water port was in the Crimea, which also used to be part of Russia but was awarded to Ukraine in the Soviet times. It would be something similar to the Russians orchestrating a coup in Hawaii and the USA just saying OK, we will pack up our fleet and move it somewhere else, would never ever happen.

 

The Crimean people voted and seceded the Ukraine, however no one is yet to show the vote was in anyway rigged, just that succession was illegal, although the coup was regarded as perfectly acceptable?

 

So we have the US demanding the Russians leave their main eastern port, and this is something that is never going to happen, and for the same reasons no other power would either. Especially as the US would then have a major military base on Russia's border. In fact the US already had contractors organized to start work in the Crimea to convert it to a NATO base, so one can deduce from that this whole coup was planned well in advance.

You'll need to provide credible links that show the US was responsible for the coup.  I do believe a few people from Ukraine were responsible for this.  For good reasons.  You are aware of what the PM had done?  Right?  The one now hiding out in Russia. LOL

 

Crimea people voted with a gun to their head.  After being taken over by Russia.  Hardly a way to do things.  Luckily, the world agrees it was wrong and has sanctioned Russia for these actions.

 

Amazing how you only point fingers at the US. 

 

http://www.foreignpolicyi.org/content/fpi-conference-call-russian-interference-foreign-elections

 

Quote

 

FPI Conference Call: Russian Interference in Foreign Elections

“This particular threat actor has been attacking a variety of countries. It was the same Fancy Bear malware used in the Ukraine central election commission servers, French TV attacks, a lot of different attacks have been associated with this. 

 

 

[Ralf61]

Always funny hearing the mega-noble U.S. blaming other countries for meddling in foreign affairs. Look who's talking...

[craigt3365]

Just now, Ralf61 said:

Always funny hearing the mega-noble U.S. blaming other countries for meddling in foreign affairs. Look who's talking...

You didn't read the articles.  It's most Western countries.  Not just the US.

[Ralf61]

24 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

It's most Western countries.  Not just the US.

The U.S. and their Western slaves... I cannot remember a Western politician did oppose an order from their transatlantic friends, maybe with the exception of some trivial sideshows.

 

U.S. trading volume with the Russians makes about 1% in total, so the U.S do not care, but the Europeans shoot themselves in their own feet.

[Krataiboy]

40 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

They are already going after Russia for interfering with Ukraine's elections.  Luckily!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/15/nato-stages-summit-to-counter-alleged-russian-interference-in-elections

 

Amazing how 27 counties recognize Russian meddling as a problem.  Yet a few posters here only see the US as a problem. 

Not exactly amazing since they are all members of NATO and dance to whatever tune the US happens to be playing.

[boomerangutang]

                          Manafort is up to his gills in this.  I guess it comes down to a basic tenet, re; how an informed person sees the Ukraine issue:

 

                      Trump supporters, who love everything Trumpian, including his bromance with Putin, are fine with Russia re-cobbling the USSR (though not reverting to that old name).  All others, including reasonable people in the US and all of Europe, aren't comfortable with Putin putting the USSR back together, by hook or by crook.

[craigt3365]

50 minutes ago, Ralf61 said:

The U.S. and their Western slaves... I cannot remember a Western politician did oppose an order from their transatlantic friends, maybe with the exception of some trivial sideshows.

 

U.S. trading volume with the Russians makes about 1% in total, so the U.S do not care, but the Europeans shoot themselves in their own feet.

Western slaves?  Seriously?  You're seriously misinformed.  Research what the UK, Germany and France are doing about Russian interference.  Without the involvement of the US.

 

Wow...strange post.

[craigt3365]

41 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Not exactly amazing since they are all members of NATO and dance to whatever tune the US happens to be playing.

I can guarantee Merkel and Macron won't agree with your statement.  But nice try! LOL

[JHolmesJr]

1 hour ago, Krataiboy said:

Not exactly amazing since they are all members of NATO and dance to whatever tune the US happens to be playing.

Vassals.

[craigt3365]

13 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

Vassals.

Ummm....they ceased to exist a few thousand years ago. LOL

[anon4546543]

This is not about Crimea. It is about a bunch of Russian thugs supported by Russia, armed by Russia, trained by Russia

and has Russian troops on "holidays" murdering citizens of Ukraine. If Trump had balls he would hold NATO exercises in

this area. And force the Russian scum back into Russia. And the bully boy Cossacks and lame tame Ruskie mafia and media.

They shot a civilian aircraft down, they know they are immune. Filth

 

[simple1]

2 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Not exactly amazing since they are all members of NATO and dance to whatever tune the US happens to be playing.

History proves you're incorrect.

[Oleg57]

Good news for Ukrainians. At last America will do more according to the Budapest memorandum to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government is rather pro-Russian than pro-Western. They are criminals and thieves who rigged the elections and all years since 2014 working for Pootin's FSB against the people of Ukraine. The government even denies aggression of Russia in Eastern part of Ukraine despite of all evidences that Russian soldiers and officers are 80% of the "Democratic republics" troops. The rest is a bunch of criminals and bums.

Ukraine can be a part of the Intermaria - the union of Central and Eastern nations between the Baltic and Black sees - in opposition both to Russia and the EU. If America will help Poland to build the union and stop Pootin agression.

I just wondering on how many Westerns are confused by propaganda of leftists and the RT to support Pootin the miserable nanus.

[craigt3365]

11 minutes ago, Oleg57 said:

Good news for Ukrainians. At last America will do more according to the Budapest memorandum to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government is rather pro-Russian than pro-Western. They are criminals and thieves who rigged the elections and all years since 2014 working for Pootin's FSB against the people of Ukraine. The government even denies aggression of Russia in Eastern part of Ukraine despite of all evidences that Russian soldiers and officers are 80% of the "Democratic republics" troops. The rest is a bunch of criminals and bums.

Ukraine can be a part of the Intermaria - the union of Central and Eastern nations between the Baltic and Black sees - in opposition both to Russia and the EU. If America will help Poland to build the union and stop Pootin agression.

I just wondering on how many Westerns are confused by propaganda of leftists and the RT to support Pootin the miserable nanus.

Sadly, I've met several who believe the BS on Russia Today.  They 100% believe it.  Unreal.

 

Yes, the #1 problem in Ukraine is corruption.  Without, they'd be in a different place now.  Without an ex-PM hiding in Russia.

[Oleg57]

46 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Sadly, I've met several who believe the BS on Russia Today.  They 100% believe it.  Unreal.

 

Yes, the #1 problem in Ukraine is corruption.  Without, they'd be in a different place now.  Without an ex-PM hiding in Russia.

Communists in Ukraine made a coalition with organized criminals and they are yet in power in Ukraine. The so-called president of Ukraine is a thief and a son of local mafioso of Soviet times. He is not a legitimate president. He got to power in the rigged elections and even so his term was limited to two years as  for an emergency leader. But with control of mass media, police and security forces he controls Ukraine. Patriots are not only get killed in the war with pro-Poo-tin terrorists but exterminated or jailed in the Ukraine. Active people understand the power of pro-Russian criminals and rather try to migrate from Ukraine than fight a hopeless civil war as the thieves have full support from A. Merkel and the EU officials. Dozens thousands, i.e. about 60,000, have been killed and more than million were displaced in a result of the Russian aggression and yet the majority of Westerns do not care and support Poo-tin the midget. Watching this hypocrisy of the Western European countries and lack of actions against Russia I may only say - you deserved the hordes of Muslim migrants that will destroy your welfare states, suck out your pension benefits and start the Jihad war against non-Muslims inside the Europe. President Trump is the only and last hope of white race to stop leftists, feminists, and globalists. At least, I wish to think so.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Oleg57

[Scott]

Posts from an unapproved source have been removed along with replies.  

[boomerangutang]

8 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Not exactly amazing since they are all members of NATO and dance to whatever tune the US happens to be playing.

                                  The US's influence is waning, week by week.  Trump is being snickered at by foreigners (leaders and regular folks) for dozens of reasons.  No one is taking him seriously.  Even Putin thinks Trump is a dufus, but of course doesn't say so publicly, because Trump is a useful tool for Putin (for now) to re-constitute the USSR.

 

                           When Trump is no longer useful to Putin, he will allow the release of the PP tapes, or some other dirt he has on Trump.  That stuff is also useful as leverage for Putin's lap dog.

[JHolmesJr]

7 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

                                  The US's influence is waning, week by week.  Trump is being snickered at by foreigners (leaders and regular folks) for dozens of reasons.  No one is taking him seriously.  Even Putin thinks Trump is a dufus, but of course doesn't say so publicly, because Trump is a useful tool for Putin (for now) to re-constitute the USSR.

 

                           When Trump is no longer useful to Putin, he will allow the release of the PP tapes, or some other dirt he has on Trump.  That stuff is also useful as leverage for Putin's lap dog.

You talk like youre putins secretary...has he revealed his entire game plan just to you?

Edited July 24, 2017 by JHolmesJr

[JHolmesJr]

a like from oleg….what are the chances? hehe

Edited July 26, 2017 by JHolmesJr