It’s a little more nuanced than many made it out to be, but, come on, after Joe just abandoned Afghanistan in the manner he did, and left Americans behind, it’s not that hard to believe
(AP) President Joe Biden reached out to Ukraine’s leader Thursday as the United States moved to take a more direct role in diplomacy between that country and Russia, part of a broader effort to dissuade Russia from a destabilizing invasion of its western neighbor. (snip)
Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone for more than an hour Thursday. Biden assured Zelenskyy of support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also renewed a pledge that the U.S. and its allies would hit Russia with economic sanctions and intensify defensive aid to Ukraine and NATO allies nearest to Russia if Russia did invade, the White House said. (snip)
Administration officials have suggested that the U.S. will press Ukraine to formally cede a measure of autonomy within its eastern Donbas region, which is now under de facto control by Russia-backed separatists who rose up against Kyiv in 2014.
Decentralization of Ukraine and a “special status” for Donbas were laid out in an ambiguous, European-brokered peace deal in 2015, but it has never taken hold.
More autonomy could formally give residents of that region more authority over some local issues. The administration officials made no mention of ceding any territory.
Which is diplomatic speak for “give up eastern Ukraine to Russia without a shot being fired.” Also known as appeasement, for “peace in our time.” How real is this, though?
(Newsweek) White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki categorically denied on Thursday that President Joe Biden is pressuring Ukraine to cede land to Russia in an effort to reduce tension in the area.
That diplomacy doesn’t include pressuring Ukraine to cede territory to Russian-backed groups, according to Psaki. When asked about reports the United States is pressuring Ukraine to give up land to Russia as a means of deterring an invasion, Psaki said that is not true, calling it “absolutely false.”
In other words, it’s 100% true. Ukraine should urge Biden to just give up a small state, like Delaware. He’d be fine with that, right? Many national security experts expect that if Russia invades it will be in January or February, because then European countries will just ignore it, otherwise Russia cuts off their natural gas, which the EU depends on. And you can bet China will be watching intently, with their eyes on Taiwan.
Brandon’s overall approval rating at 41%.
Because climate change…
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/10/public-view-on-bidens-handling-of-covid-and-the-economy-takes-another-hit-cnbc-survey-shows.html
#LetsGoBrandon
#FJB
Bwaha! Lolgf
Rumors like this get started because they are at least plausible.
But remember 2014, when the collective NATO leaders gave a sigh of relief that Ukraine had not joined NATO, after Vladimir Vladimirovich sent the tanks rolling in? No one was willing to go to war against
the Soviet UnionRussia over Ukraine.And let’s tell the truth here: are we really willing to go to war with the nuclear-armed
Soviet UnionRussia over Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia? They’re all NATO members now, but Russia could roll over them in a day.We have troops based in Germany, under the idea that if the USSR and Warsaw Pact nations invaded western Europe, they’s have to attack American troops as well, making war with the US unavoidable. But the Baltic states? Nope, no troops there!
Of course, western Europe would balk at war with Russia, even if no shots were fired at all, because western Europe is utterly dependent upon Russian shipments of natural gas.
Dana: Rumors like this get started because they are at least plausible.
Then amplified by those who apparently would prefer scoring political points rather than providing context.
This just concerns implementing the 2015 peace deal which included providing a measure of autonomy to the Russian-majority breakaway Donbas region. Ukraine has said they are ready to move forward on terms of the 2015 deal. There is no discussion in the U.S. or Ukraine of giving up any part of Ukraine’s territory.
The Minsk accords, signed by Ukraine, France, Germany, United Kingdom, and Russia call for replacing the current unitary state in Ukraine with a federal system. Presently, all official in the oblasts are appointed by the Ukrainian president. The Minsk accords would grant home rule to the oblasts and let them elect their own officials. This is NOT ceding the Donbas.
The Minsk accords also guarantee minority rights, especially the right to use one’s own language (Russian, Greek, Turkic, Yiddish…), and to be educated in it. Right now it is illegal to speak Russian or other minority languages.
The US has blocked the Minsk accords out of spite, because the Normandy Group (above) did not ask the US’ permission to negotiate a settlement to the Ukrainian civil war.