Do you guys have any idea how ugly this is going to get next week after Crimea "votes" to join Russia? Lavrov: With no 'common vision' with U.S., Russia will honor Crimea vote London (CNN) -- Russia will respect the result of Sunday's referendum in Crimea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters Friday after his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Lavrov declared that Russia and the West don't share common ground on how to resolve the crisis in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. "Also as to the practical measures which could be taken by foreign partners, we don't have a common vision of the situation," he said. "There are still differences, but the conversation was definitely useful in order to better understand how we understand each other in the situation and the general context of the wide spectrum of the issues of the Russian-American relations. From this point of view, the negotiations were useful," Lavrov said. Asked if Kerry threatened sanctions against Russia at their meeting, Lavrov told reporters that Kerry "did not put forward any threats against Russia." Still, Lavrov said, Russia is aware that Washington and European governments are considering sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine crisis. "I assure you that our partners understand that sanctions are counterproductive ... and (they) will not facilitate mutual interests," he said. Describing his meeting with Kerry, Lavrov said he expressed concern that necessary measures have not been taken to secure stability in Ukraine, and that measures have not been taken to stop what he called unlawful activities of radicals, including armed violence, in that country. Lavrov also condemned recent violence in Donetsk, Ukraine. He said that Russia has no plans to get involved there but added that the rights of ethnic Russians have to be respected. The outcome of their last-ditch talks was eagerly anticipated as a contentious referendum on the future of Ukraine's Crimean region looms. The two men met four times last week in Europe and have been in daily phone contact since. But they have failed to reach common ground on how to solve the crisis over Crimea. They met again at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to London as the clock ticked down on efforts to find a diplomatic solution. Crimea's pro-Russian government has scheduled a referendum Sunday in which residents of the Crimean Peninsula will vote whether to secede from Ukraine and join Russia or to choose effective independence. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/14/world/europe/ukraine-crisis/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Cold War **** is Getting Real CNN Poll: Most see Russia as a threat to U.S. Washington (CNN) - As the crisis in the Ukraine continues, a new national poll indicates that for the first time in more than a decade, more than half of Americans see Russia as a serious threat to the U.S. A CNN/ORC International survey released Friday also indicates that Russian President Vladimir Putin's unfavorable rating among Americans has soared over the past month. And the poll indicates that the vast majority of the public says Moscow's actions in neighboring Ukraine break international law, and half of those questioned say a new Cold War between the U.S. and Russia is likely. According to the poll, 69% of Americans say they see Russia as threat to the U.S. "That's a 25-percentage point increase since 2012 and represents the highest number on that question since the break-up of the Soviet Union," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. Thirty-one percent now say they don't see Russia as a threat, down from 53% two years ago. Only 11% of those questioned say they have a positive view of Putin, with 68% saying they see him in a negative way. "The numbers are pretty clear on the Russian president. Americans really don't like Vladimir Putin, whose unfavorable rating has jumped 14 points since early February," Holland added. No let up in crisis The poll's release comes as some 8,500 Russian troops staged snap military exercises close to the border with Ukraine. It also comes just two days before the pro-Russian government in Ukraine's autonomous region of Crimean has scheduled a referendum in which residents of the peninsula will vote whether to secede from Ukraine and join Russia or to choose effective independence. Ukraine's interim government in Kiev, as well as U.S. and European leaders, have warned that the vote is illegitimate. Russia has said that it has the right to intervene in Ukraine to protect ethnic Russians from "fascists" and nationalists. It denies that its forces are militarily involved in Crimea, despite evidence to the contrary. Crimea is an ethnic Russian-majority peninsula in the country's southeast where local officials have declared their allegiance to Russia and armed men have blockaded Ukrainian military sites. The U.S. Senate is weighing legislation that could impose economic penalties on Russians involved in the intervention in Crimea. The measure would represent some of the toughest sanctions on Moscow since the end of the Cold War. A new Cold War? The poll indicates that more than seven in ten believe that there's no justification for Russia's actions in Ukraine and more than eight in ten say Russia has violated international law. Four in ten say they worry about the possibility of nuclear war with Russia and nearly half believe that a new Cold War is likely in the next few years. The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International from Friday through Sunday, with 801 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.co...most-see-russia-as-a-threat-to-u-s/?hpt=hp_t2
McInsane Wants War with Russia McInsane Wants War with Russia McCain calls U.S. military support for Ukraine "right and decent" (CNN) - Speaking in Kiev, Sen. John McCain called Saturday for the U.S. to provide long-term military assistance to Ukraine, saying it is "the right and decent thing to do," as reports surfaced that Russian troops had traveled farther north into Ukraine from Crimea. McCain was part of a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators who traveled to Kiev ahead of Sunday's secession referendum in Crimea. The White House and U.S. allies in Europe have denounced the referendum as unconstitutional and illegal because Russian troops have essentially taken over the southern Ukraine peninsula. McCain also had strong words for President Barack Obama in an op-ed appearing in The New York Times. He called for the President to take actions to restore the United States' credibility and strength around the world. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.co...pport-for-ukraine-right-and-decent/?hpt=hp_t2
What is the US right to dictate what the Crimeans and and Russians do half way around the world? After all we invade sovereign countries frequently, (see Iraq) so except in our own minds we don't have any moral high ground. I know they are stupid Russkies and we are the land of the brave and the home of the free, but this whole world wide empire thing is getting ridiculous.
I dreamt last night that Ukrainian citizens all happily migrated somewhere else, and the US and Russia just had their troops murdering each other over the piece of land known as Ukraine. Too bad it was just a dream.
Putin is only delaying the inevitable. Ukraine will eventually shift westward and he's doing nothing to endear Russia to the Ukraine. Plus, the Russians aren't going to be able to prop up a bankrupt and corrupt Ukraine for long, especially as their economy has problems of its own. And of course we'll respond if they **** with Poland- Poland is a NATO ally.
I have no idea what people in Crimea think, but what if the majority of ethnic Russians want to join Russia? Should that be allow?
United States and Western European countries are constantly helping ethnic groups become independent nations in recent years, does the same rule not apply if the people are Russians? Unless the ethnic Russians do not want to join Russia and it is all Kremlin propaganda.
What do you guys think about McInsane pushing for US military force in Crimea? That could get ugly if that happens.
Yeah but the difference here is that Ukraine is 100% independent from Russia and Crimea belongs to Ukraine. Russia wants Crimea because it's a strategic military point, it's warm and somewhat tropical and all their rich people go there on vacation and have vacation homes there. Another reason there are more Russians than Ukrainians 60% to 40% is because all of the rich ones have basically moved there and set up shop. Also there are tons of ethnic Russians in the military there on the Navy bases. That's the reason it's 60-40 and not 80-20 Ukrainians. Russia has a rule where all young boys once the hit 18 MUST server 2 years in the military. Ukraine doesn't have this rule. So once Russia takes over Crimea are they going to force all the 18-20yr old Ukrainians in Crimea to join the russian military?
He's in Kiev now. Here it is: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.co...pport-for-ukraine-right-and-decent/?hpt=hp_t2
not directly, but a proxy war is possible. that said, i agree us/russia will not start a "hot" war with each other. against each other it will only be "cold" war conflicts. obama/kerry have already said as much with talk of sanctions.
McCain is playing the part of Bad Cop. He keeps the factor that the US could do something crazy credible within Pooty's assessment equation. It serves a purpose. Putin has to get Crimea out of the losing The Ukraine. It's his only face saving option. And he will rattle his sabers, military and oil and gas, until he does. I would guess that the diplomatic deal is already done. And losing Crimea to gain The Ukraine is a net big win for NATO.
