The Ukraine

[Vorpal]

What would the UK do, if you thought that there were rebellions in Ireland and there was a coup d'etat, would Britain stay still and would not monitor the case??

I'm not sure whether you're speaking from a historical context (with more than a hint of irony) or from the present-day situation, but no matter.

Of course, there is no history of Russia in Crimea, either....

[Mick F]

As I said, Crimea WAS Russian, and Mr Khrushchev gave it to Ukraine.
Look at a map, you'll see that Crimea is connected to both Russia and Ukraine, but historically Russian.

[RickH]

...Look at a map, you'll see that Crimea is connected to both Russia and Ukraine, but historically Russian.

To be pedantic*, The Crimea is only connected by land to Ukraine, there is open water between it & Russia (the Strait of Kerch).

Rick
(*I've been fussy about geographical niceties ever since not getting points in a Scout Quiz where the answer they asked the question "what is the island near the mouth of the Mediterranean?" and the answer they wanted was "Gibraltar"! )

[andrewk]

Crimea and Eastern Ukraine are predominately ethnically Russian. The country is an artificial construct with Western Ukraine being forcibly added to an existing Russian territory. Ukrainian nationalism has been fermenting ever since in Western Ukraine but not in Eastern Ukraine. Partition now or in the future seems inevitable and may be the best outcome despite it not being what Ukrainian and Russian politicians want.

[georgew]

While I have little time for Putin, it would be helpful to view the whole problem in context.


"In the case of Crimea, which was only transferred to Ukraine by Nikita Khrushchev in the 1950s, that is clearly true for the Russian majority. And contrary to undertakings given at the time, the US and its allies have since relentlessly expanded Nato up to Russia's borders, incorporating nine former Warsaw Pact states and three former Soviet republics into what is effectively an anti-Russian military alliance in Europe. The European association agreement which provoked the Ukrainian crisis also included clauses to integrate Ukraine into the EU defence structure."
http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...raine-fascists

[pete75]

Matthew Paris writes on this in the Spectator and his views seem sensible

http://www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/m ... -russians/

[661-Pete]

While I have little time for Putin, it would be helpful to view the whole problem in context.

Your link doesn't work, but I think this is the one you mean.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... e-fascists

[reohn2]

Matthew Paris writes on this in the Spectator and his views seem sensible

http://www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/m ... -russians/

It'll be for the first time then,upto now he hasn't a good track record on here,though he does play the piano,of a fashion