U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster meet with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Benjamin Haddad, Daily Beast: The Ukraine War in the Time of Trump
The U.S. is sending all kinds of signals it supports Ukraine against Russia, but the regime’s corruption is almost as big a threat at Putin’s proxies.
KIEV — It was just four years ago that tens of thousands abandoned their homes to gather on Kiev’s Maidan Square to fight for a better life, closer to Europe. For many, it was a battleground for the future of liberal democracy. Walking through the Square today, everywhere you look there are pictures and plaques commemorating the 130 Ukrainians, many of them very young, who died here, leading to the departure of President Viktor Yanukovych.
The trade union building that served as the headquarters for opposition movements, on the square, is now covered with the giant letters “Freedom is our Religion” and drawings of broken chains. During the movement, it was buzzing with energy, hosting activists, refugees sleeping on the floors, and doctors treating victims of the repression. Amid lethal sniper fire, it was burned down by pro-regime forces during the crackdown on Feb. 19, 2014.
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WNU Editor: An admission in the above post that Ukraine President Poroshenko has only 14% support in the polls?!?!?! I am shocked .... I thought he only had 5%. Bottom line .... Ukraine is still poor, there is high unemployment, the economy is not growing, corruption is rampant, young people are leaving, and the war continues in the east.
1 comment:
In fairness, one thing has changed for the better - a window of opportunity for reforms has been opened, and some people mentioned in that article have been trying to use it. It's not clear that anything will come of their efforts, though, and other things changed for the worse - it is poorer and less safe than it was, and IMHO Poroshenko is a much bigger threat to democratic institutions in Ukraine than Yanukovych ever was. He strikes me as someone a lot more capable and ruthless in exploiting crises to hold on to power - and he has Western support.
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