What’s behind Trump’s pressure on Zelensky to work things out with Putin
What’s behind President Trump’s pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to get together with Vladimir Putin and “solve your problem”? President Trump: And I really…
Minsk Protocol
Russia continues aggression against Ukraine, now in Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov
In February, 2014, Russia invaded the Ukrainian peninsula of the Crimea, seized it by force, and in March purported to “annex” the Crimea to the…
Putin’s triumph over the pacifists and appeasers of the West, and the ferocious opponents he may face in the future (revised February 25, 2015)
COMMENTARY Revised February 25, 2015 The pacifists and appeasers who lead Europe and the United States, by taking no effective measures to counter Russian military…
Leftist victory in Greece threatens continuation of EU sanctions against Russia
Developing See (1) Julia Smirnova und Boris Kalnóky, “Mit Tspiras hat Russland einen neuen Verbündeten; Die neue griechische Regierung verfügt über bemerkenswert enge Kontakte nach…
Putin attacks Mariupol, may seek land corridor to Crimea
Developing See (1) Julia Smirnova, “Mariupol wäre für die Separatisten wertvollster Ort; Die Angriffe auf Mariupol markieren eine neue Eskalation des Kriegs in der Ostukraine….
Negotiating with terrorists: Merkel’s proposal for a broad economic zone with Russia and its friends
See “Ukraine-Krise: Bundesregierung lockt Russland mit Handelszone; Zur Belohnung gäbe es eine Wirtschaftskooperation: Die Bundesregierung hat laut Medienbericht dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin eine Handelszone…
Poroshenko interview in NZZ; agreement to withdraw heavy weapons from Minsk September 19 demarcation line
Developing Vladimir Putin acting, through his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, reached an agreement in Berlin this week under which Russian “separatists” in eastern Ukraine would…
Fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies, as implementation of Minsk Protocol stalls; future of EU sanctions regime in doubt
Revised January 14, 2014 See Frontline, “Putin’s Way”, PBS, January 13, 2015 (on Putin’s rise to power and the nature of the Russian dictatorship he…
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier convenes four-party talks in Berlin on Minsk Protocol, as Russia intensifies invasion of the Donbas
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to meet with the foreign ministers of Russia, France and Ukraine in Berlin on Monday to see if progress…
Civilization falters, as Russian aggression stands and Islamic terrorism explodes
The Charlie Hebdo massacre by Islamic extremists on January 7 underlines the failure of the West and other civilized countries to win the struggle in…
Vladimir Putin’s Press Conference on December 18, 2014 (with link to transcript)
(Partial) English Transcript, “News conference of Vladimir Putin, December 18, 2014 (15:20 Moscow). The (partial) transcript in Russian is found here. Check back for Excerpts…
Go for Putin!
Commentary The contempt Vladimir Putin evidently feels for Barack Obama and the West was revealed in a split-second at the APEC summit in Beijing these…
Ukrainian military expert and politician charges OSCE Observers with bias
After reading various anodyne OSCE observer reports which note, for example, that so many columns of tanks and military vehicles without license plates or insignia…
Russia poised for much larger military intervention in Ukraine
Roger Cohen of the New York Times points to the grave dangers of further Russian aggression in the Ukraine, and the temptation Washington might feel…
The Russian-Ukrainian War: Minsk Protocol near collapse; What is at stake; Harsher sanctions against Russia needed
UPDATE: OSCE reports movements of armed colums and tanks in eastern Ukraine See