Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

The European Union Times


Posted: 03 Mar 2014 02:52 PM PST

The US has suspended forthcoming trade and investment talks with Russia over situation in Ukraine, according to a US official. In addition, the Pentagon announced that the US has also suspended all joint “military engagements” with Russia.
“We have suspended upcoming bilateral trade and investment engagement with the government of Russia that were part of a move toward deeper commercial and trade ties,” a spokesman for the Office of the US Trade Representative said.
Earlier Monday evening, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby announced in a statement that US-Russia “military engagements,” such as military exercises and port visits, are on hold for now.
“Although the Department of Defense finds value in the military-to-military relationship with the Russian Federation we have developed over the past few years to increase transparency, build understanding, and reduce the risk of military miscalculation we have, in light of recent events in Ukraine, put on hold all military-to-military engagements between the United States and Russia,” the statement reads. “This includes exercises, bilateral meetings, port visits and planning conferences.”
Kirby said the events in Ukraine have not changed US naval movements in the region.
“Some media outlets are speculating on possible ship movements in the region,” Kirby said. “There has been no change to our military posture in Europe or the Mediterranean; our Navy units continue to conduct routine, previously planned operations and exercises with allies and partners in the region.”
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Posted: 03 Mar 2014 02:41 PM PST

The United States has warned Russia that it would hold the Kremlin “directly responsible” if it has threatened use of force against Ukrainian military.
“Reports of an ultimatum, if true, constitute a dangerous escalation of the situation for which we would hold Russia directly responsible,” US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday.
She made the warning after reports said Moscow had issued an ultimatum to the crews of two Ukrainian warships to surrender immediately and four Russian ships were around the Ukrainian ships in Sevastopol’s harbor.
A representative of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet said the claims were unfounded.
“We have become accustomed to the daily accusations by the Ukrainian media of carrying out some sort of military actions against our Ukrainian colleagues,” he said. “Those who want to pit us against each other in the Crimea won’t succeed.”
Russian Black Sea Fleet also says it has no plans to launch an assault on Ukrainian military units in Crimea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a military maneuver site close to the borders with Ukraine. Russian officials say the drills are aimed at boosting the capabilities of the Russian army.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Ukraine for meetings on Tuesday.
“The secretary will reaffirm the United States’ strong support for Ukrainian sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and the right of the Ukrainian people to determine their own future, without outside interference or provocation,” Psaki said.
During a press conference on Monday, US President Barack Obama threatened Russia with sanctions.
“The strong condemnation that Russian has received around the world indicates the degree to which Russia is on the wrong side of history,” he told reporters.
“There are two paths that Russia can take at this point. Actions on the ground in Crimea are deeply troubling but what is also true is that over time, this will be a costly proposition for Russia. Now is the time to consider whether they can further their interests with diplomacy as opposed to force,” Obama said.
The US president noted that if Russia continues on present path, the United States will take a “series of steps – economic, diplomatic – that will isolate Russia.”
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Posted: 03 Mar 2014 02:18 PM PST


Moscow’s move to occupy Crimea with Russian troops is a declaration of war on Ukraine according to interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
“This is actually a declaration of war on my country. We urge Putin to pull back his troops from this country and honour bilateral agreements. If he wants to be the president who started a war between two neighboring and friendly countries, he has reached his target within a few inches,” said Yatsenyuk, warning, “We are on the brink of disaster.”
Although there has been no violence, Russian troops now occupy key positions throughout the Crimean peninsula, including airports and communication hubs.
Kiev’s post-overthrow government responded by ordering a full military mobilization of Ukrainian forces. BBC News reports that Russian troops are surrounding Ukrainian army bases in addition to, “digging trenches on the border with mainland Ukraine.”
Many Ukrainian armed forces in Crimea resigned their positions and are expected to take military oaths and switch sides, according to reports.
Although technically part of Ukraine, Crimea is an Autonomous Republic and authorities there have firmly sided with Russia over the conflict. Vladimir Konstantinov, Chairman of the republic’s Supreme Council, urged NATO not to send troops into the region.
“We have not asked NATO to send troops. This land belongs to the Russian world. We would like everyone to remember that. It’s a millennium-old history. The people of Russia and Ukraine belong to the Russian world,” said Konstantinov.
US Secretary of State John Kerry reacted by issuing a series of threats, warning that Russia could be kicked out of the G8, or that the U.S. could freeze Russian business assets and precipitate a collapse of the rouble.
President Barack Obama said that Russian troop movements represent a “violation of Ukrainian sovereignty”.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that 675,000 Ukrainians left Ukraine for Russia in January and February over fears that a humanitarian catastrophe was unfolding.
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Posted: 03 Mar 2014 02:08 PM PST

US President Barack Obama has threatened Russia with sanctions as tensions between the two countries heats up over Ukraine.
“The strong condemnation that Russian has received around the world indicates the degree to which Russia is on the wrong side of history,” Obama told reporters on Monday.
“There are two paths that Russia can take at this point. Actions on the ground in Crimea are deeply troubling but what is also true is that over time, this will be a costly proposition for Russia. Now is the time to consider whether they can further their interests with diplomacy as opposed to force,” he said.
The US president noted that if Russia continues on present path, the United States will take a “series of steps – economic, diplomatic – that will isolate Russia and will have a negative impact on Russia’s economy and its status in the world.”
Washington and its Western allies are considering sanctions against Moscow, accusing Russia of preparing to launch a military intervention in Ukraine.
“What cannot be done is for Russia with impunity to put its soldiers on the ground and to violate basic principles that are recognized around the world,” Obama said.
Russian Black Sea Fleet also says it has no plans to launch an assault on Ukrainian military units in Crimea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a military maneuver site close to the borders with Ukraine. Russian officials say the drills are aimed at boosting the capabilities of the Russian army.
The Russian parliament on Saturday unanimously approved Putin’s request to send Russian forces in Ukraine to ensure peace and order in the region “until the socio-political situation in the country is stabilized.”
However, Putin has not yet made a decision about sending troops.
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Posted: 03 Mar 2014 01:16 PM PST

The US Secretary of State spoke today of the unacceptability of invading a sovereign country on phony pretexts in order to assert one’s own interests in the 21st century. But no, he was not speaking about the United States, as one might have thought.
“You just don’t invade another country on phony pretext in order to assert your interests,” John Kerry said during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press. “This is an act of aggression that is completely trumped up in terms of its pretext. It’s really 19th century behaviour in the 21st century.”
Kerry has also threatened to isolate Russia economically and politically and warned of potential asset freezes and visa bans, adding to media and political hype that followed Russia authorization of sending a stabilization force in Crimea on official request from the authorities.
“There could be certainly disruption of any of the normal trade routine, there could be business drawback on investment in the country,” he said. “There could even be ultimately asset freezes, visa bans.”
Although Kerry was never challenged by the interviewer to comment in terms of that statement on Washington’s own constant threats to use force and military invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan, those who watched the interview immediately smelled the hypocrisy.
“Since when does the United States government genuinely subscribe and defend the concept of sovereignty and territorial integrity? They certainly are not doing that at the moment in Syria,” Marcus Papadopoulos, commentator for ‘Politics First’ told RT. “They certainly did not do that when they attacked Libya. They certainly didn’t do that when they invaded Iraq. They certainly didn’t do that when they attacked Serbia over Kosovo and then later on recognized Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence. The United States government merely pays lip service to sovereignty and territorial integrity, it picks and choses.”
Since the crisis in Ukraine escalated to a point where the lives of the Russian speaking population of Ukraine has become threatened, Kerry’s reaction comes, some believe, as the most ridiculous thus far, taking into account US own history of military actions all over the globe.
Following Russia’s parliament approval of potential deployment, four countries, including the US, Canada, France and the UK have announced they have suspended preparations for the upcoming G8 summit in Sochi on June 4 and 5.
“The United Kingdom will join other G8 countries this week in suspending our co-operation under the G8, which Russia chairs this year, including the meetings this week for the preparation of the G8 summit,” UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said.
France has stated it wants “preparations for the Sochi G8 summit to be suspended until our Russian partners have returned to principles compatible with those of the G7 and G8.”
The US also warned Russia that it risks losing its place in the Group of Eight developed countries over the deployment of troops in Crimea.
Canada in the meantime warned of “ongoing negative consequences” for Canada-Russia relations, if Russia pushes forward with military action.
This year Russia holds the presidency in G8 that includes the governments of the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Russia, USA, France and Japan.
Facts you need to know about Crimea and why it is in turmoil
Crimeans began protesting after the new self-imposed government in Kiev introduced a law abolishing the use of other languages for official documents in Ukraine. More than half the Crimean population are Russian and use only this language for their communication. The residents have announced they are going to hold a referendum on March 30 to determine the fate of the Ukrainian autonomous region.
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Posted by Roberto Abraham Scaruffi at 13:30