Israel Matzav

It's come to this: UK warns Russia to lay off Ukraine

It's come to this: The United States' prestige is so low that Britain has taken upon itself to warn Russia to lay off Ukraine.

Britain warned Russia on Sunday against intervening in Ukraine's "complex" crisis, saying London wanted to contribute to an international economic program aimed at shoring up the "desperately difficult" situation of the Ukrainian economy. 

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In comments that may anger Moscow, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said his government was in regular contact with the Russian government to try to persuade it that closer ties between Ukraine and the European Union should not worry it.

"If there's an economic package, it will be important that Russia doesn't do anything to undermine that economic package and is working in cooperation and support of it," Hague told BBC TV.

When asked if he was worried that Russia might "send in the tanks" to defend the interests of Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine, Hague warned against what he called "external duress" or Russian intervention.

"It would really not be in the interests of Russia to do any such thing. We have to keep up the communication with Russia as we are doing ... so that the people of Ukraine can choose their own way forward. There are many dangers and uncertainties." 

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Hague said the priority was to persuade Moscow that the fate of Ukraine - a country that was part of the Soviet Union and has been within Russia's sphere of influence for decades - was not what he called "a zero-sum game" and that closer ties with the EU were not a bad thing.

"It's in the interests of the people of Ukraine to be able to trade more freely with the EU. It's the interests of the people of Russia for that to happen as well."

He said he didn't know what Russia's "next reaction" would be, but he pushed the Ukrainian opposition to move urgently to form a government of national unity, agree arrangements for new elections, and to crack on with shoring up the economy.

"While all this has been happening, the Ukrainian economy is in a desperately difficult situation," Hague said. "And they need an economic program that the rest of us, through the International Monetary Fund and other institutions, can support so that they can stave of an even more serious economic situation."

Isn't it amazing how the American role in international affairs has diminished over the last five years. If you can call it a 'success,' it's the only one Obama has had in the foreign policy field.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Britain, European Union, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vladimir Putin, William Hague

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:19 PM