New York Times: Ukraine War Flares Again After a Lull
MOSCOW — The war in rebel-held eastern Ukraine has escalated sharply this week, with the heaviest fighting in nearly a year, European observers and Western diplomats reported on Wednesday.
The fighting broke out in the midst of a snowstorm overnight Tuesday and has continued unabated since, the observers say. While skirmishes are common, the heavy artillery barrages have been the thickest since a flare-up in February.
Ukrainian authorities linked the escalation to the Russian military’s decision to withdraw officers from a joint Russian and Ukrainian liaison group that had assisted in monitoring the shaky cease-fire deal, known as the Minsk 2 agreement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry placed the blame for that on Ukraine, saying the Ukrainians had been intimidating the officers and that “all responsibility for possible consequences lies fully on the Ukrainian side.”
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Update #1: Ukraine, allies fear escalation after Russia exits ceasefire group (Reuters)
Update #2: EU's Mogherini Warns Situation In Eastern Ukraine Deteriorating (RFE)
WNU Editor: According to EU observers, it has been a bad week in eastern Ukraine. This is also not going to help .... Trump gives green light to selling lethal arms to Ukraine (The Hill).
3 comments:
Russia needs to end its involvement there. The west doesn't want problems with Russia but we can't stand idly by while innocent people get killed.
@WNU why doesn't putin reach out to the west like nixon did with China? ("Only nixon could go to China " do you know the saying? )
Putin could hold an event in Moscow, invite all European leaders and set forward a new grand strategy of collaboration and engagement. I'm sure the west would - just because of the gesture- sincerely consider Putin's suggestions. ...why doesn't he do that? Having the same old external enemy for blame games doesn't work with the younger Russians so he's on losing ground. And he needs Europe to preserve Russia (or do you think China would ever respect Russia or what Russia wants? To Europe, Russians are like brothers. ..Klingon warrior like brothers,perhaps, but still brothers...I just don't get it)
Anonymous 2,
"I just don't get it." Perhaps it is the endless expansion of NATO to Russia's borders. Perhaps it is the endless support of NGOs designed to undermine the Russian government. Perhaps it is the support of the coup of the Ukrainian government to be replaced by the current chumps who are hostile to Russia. Perhaps it is sanctions unjustly imposed on Russia. Someone was behind getting the Russians banned from the winter Olympics for the exact same thing everyone else (especially my country America) does (partisan politics perhaps.) Perhaps it is all of the above and more.
DJT initially had the right idea of trying to make peace. If true abut now selling "lethal" arms to Ukraine, he has now lost his way on this issue and it will likely end badly. NO ONE should sell ANYTHING in the way of weapons to that crazy chump government.
I do agree that both sides should be working together. While there are steps that Putin could and perhaps should take, he has good reason not to trust the "west" right now.
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