Whatever plans Russia may have, conflict resolution greatly depends on the West.
By Andrei P. Tsygankov, Canadian Dimension
Western political and media circles are convinced that Russia has decided to invade Ukraine. They frequently speculate that the invasion will happen in late February, or earlier, because winter creates favourable conditions for Russian tanks and ground troops. US President Joe Biden announced that Russia’s invasion is now “imminent.” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accused Moscow of fomenting regime change in Kyiv. The United States, Britain, and Germany have already announced the evacuation of their diplomatic personnel from the Ukrainian capital.
Determined to stop Russia, Western nations regularly reveal new measures to punish Moscow should it choose to use force in Ukraine. The West promises new tough sanctions including those against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US and NATO are also planning to put 8,500 troops on high alert and move them closer to Ukraine.
The contrast between the two sides’ positions could not be more revealing. Russia views its actions as a purely defensive response to increasingly offensive military preparations by NATO and Ukraine (according to Russia’s foreign ministry, half of Ukraine’s army, or about 125,000 troops, are stationed near the border). Instead of pressuring Ukraine to de-escalate and comply with the Minsk Protocol, however, Western nations continue to provide the Ukrainian army with lethal weapons and other supplies. The Kremlin fears an attack on the Donbas, the Russian-supported eastern separatist territory, by Kyiv. As a deterrent against possible military provocations, Russia has conducted military exercises and amassed 100,000 troops along the border.
Recent Posts
The Consequence of Lost Voting Rights Will be Massive Acts of State Violence
Take Action Now The death-cult mentality of US fascism has stumbled upon an ingenious epiphany – the tepid commitment of American voters can be…
Democratic Voters Say They Want Change, But the Party Just Elevated More Hawks
Take Action Now Party leaders are ignoring the three-quarters of registered Democrats who oppose providing military aid to Israel.By Stephen…
The U.S. Bombed a Wedding in Iran. It’s Not the First Time
Take Action Now The Iranian Red Crescent Society has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate the U.S. strike, saying that if the…
25 Years Ago, 9/11 Triggered a U.S. Crusade of Torture
Take Action Now But in spite of the voluminous evidence that documented high-level approval of methodical torture, not a single U.S. official went to…