Vladmir Putin's speech on Crimea and Ukraine
Two days after Crimea voted to rejoin Russia, hoping to correct Khrushchev's Crimean fracaso, there is now talk of Ukraine going on the defense. Ukraine is still reiterating the illegality of Crimean vote and "Russia's arrogance" in annexing Crimea to the larger Russian Federation. There is actually a whole process Crimea has to go through to officially become part of Russia. Putin has signed a treaty branding Crimea as part of the federation. Its still up for discussion on whether or not Crimea will still be autonomous or become a republic. The treaty was signed in an official ceremony at the Kremlin following a speech declaring Crimea being part of Russia. The Crimean Treaty will than have to approved by the Constitutional Council and finally ratified by the Russian Duma or parliament. The United States against backed Ukraine's claim to Crimea's supposed "illegal referendum vote" despite election monitors saying that the vote was fair. U.S. Vice president Joe Biden spoke on American and wider European support for Ukraine's territorial integrity at a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Biden is on a visit around Eastern Europe to reassure countries bordering Russia that the United States has their backs and will support fellow NATO members both diplomatically and military.
Vice President Biden rebuttals Putin's Crimea annexation and speaks on Russian sanctions
Some 20, 000 men have been called up by Ukraine's new leaders to serve in the newly created Ukrainian National Guard. Ukrainian military have also been sent towards the Crimean-Ukrainian border. Two soldiers were reported shot dead at one of Crimea's bases where Ukrainian troops have been locked in since Crimea's referendum protests. Ukrainians are rightly scared of any military maneuvers or show of force Russia makes or vice versea from Ukraine. The Russian military carried out small but noticeable military exercises on Ukrainian border prior to Crimea's referendum. In the eyes of the Neocons, Russia has already unofficially declared war on Kiev. Sanctions are already set in place for the highest Russian officials declaring connected to Putin's office. In turn Putin has sanctioned US senators close to President Obama's administration. So far, Russian and American officials have been caught up in a diplomatic argument while attempting metaphorically sabotaging each other with sanctions. Both countries can not afford a military standoff on even a small scale. Both Russia or US are facing economic slumps. In the US case its the long running recession that continues to increase unemployment and frustrations. Meanwhile, the New York stock exchange flip flops from green to red every two days. Russia relies on petroleum exports (Gazprom) and pipelines crisscrossing Crimea, Ukraine and the BTC Pipeline for its revenue. Any blocking or shut off of the pipelines would hurt not only Ukraine but other European countries including the BTC or Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan nations. Not only the petroleum is a concern. Russia is well aware of NATO's military strength and political clout in its backyard. Most of Ukraine's neighbors are either NATO members or seeking to join with the organization eventually as most countries have leaned towards the EU for political or economic partnerships. Few of the former Soviet countries in the Baltics or Balkans are interested in realigning themselves with Russia or joining the Russian alternative to the EU economic block, the Eurasian Union. Complimenting the Eurasian Union is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Russian-Chinese and Central Asian political-economic union. SCO is on par with the EU and NATO in its own right.
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| The BTC Piplines aka Baku-Tblisi Ceyhan |
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