Thursday, August 21, 2014

Is The Endgame In Ukraine Now In Sight?

A Russian convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid for Ukraine drives along a road as Russian servicemen look on, near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Rostov Region, August 14, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Five Reasons Why This Weekend Might Be The Start Of The Endgame In Ukraine -- Radio Free Europe

It's a risky business, attempting to predict the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine. But this weekend's Kyiv visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stirred hopes that a resolution to the Ukraine-Russia standoff and the bloody fighting in Donbas may finally be near. We look at five of the key factors in play.

1. This Is Germany We're Talking About

A number of Western officials have already visited Ukraine since fighting erupted between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists in April. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

But none brings as much to the table as Merkel, who oversees the largest economy in Europe, dominates foreign policy debate in the European Union, and -- as a Russian-speaker raised in Communist East Germany -- enjoys a more informed working relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin than many of her EU counterparts.

Read more ....

My Comment: I do not see the conflict ending anytime soon. What I do see is a long term presence of Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine and a low level insurgency to counter their presence .... a conflict that (absent a negotiated agreement) is probably going to last for years..

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