I would say no Cologne ....I can only see it causing even more problems ....but then neither do we ...

I agree Baz. When I hear William Hague, I want to throw something. We're not the world police and the countries in transition have to figure it out themselve.

 

I would say no Col, but I agree with you...Hague is talking out of his ass..you can't throw threaten pea shooters at the Russians 

I think the trouble is if Putin goes in , it will be used as an excuse by others to get involved It could turn very nasty ....

Surely Putin (the bare-chested, bare-riding, bare-fisted angling) twat is mot going to back down, if anything, it's the chink in the armour he's be bending his short legs for at the Kremlin chappel.

 

 

 

I think we should stay clear...we have no way of competing at all 

I don't understand the legality of it or why he's getting involved - though that description of him probably explains it!

 

 

he won't Col, he kept quiet for the Olympics, this was always on the cards 

I think that there is a high concentration of ethnic Russians in Crimea, plus it's quite strategic.

One of the more amusing points was when the Russians accused the revolting Ukranians to be Neo-Nazis. One thought this to be a typical piece of Russian propaganda. Then Newsnight interviewed some of the people behind "The Coup" (sic ) and found them to be Neo-Nazis.

Probably a good opportunity for that Michael Bubble one to rerelease his "Crimean River" gramophone record.

Im goin to couch this in lovelyish words. Putin shoud see his days out from some well know dacha. Isolated by the intellectual continsency of Russia who should take the yoke off their own people and eventually realise that they don't have to put up with that wanker.

Well, the Crimea's always been a tricky one because of Russia's Black Sea fleet being based there.

However, there's also the matter of the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, where Russia agreed to "Respect Ukrainian independence and sovereignty within its existing borders." The other signatories, who are expected to help uphold the agreement, were Ukraine, the USA and *ahem* the UK...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B..._Security_Assurances

Well. there it is then.

I think Putin  is working the odds quite well.

 

If you look at it from the establishment point of view, the pres of Ukraine has runaway to Russia because Ukraine has been taken over by a militant mob and the pres is asking Putin for help.There are already agreements in place that allow Russian military on the ground in Crimea,so you have to ask yourself is Putin actually doing anything illegal? - I would think not.

 

It's ratcheted up the verbals and the EU has been taken by surprise,the west has been out manoeuvred, our sympathies may lie with the protesters and the pro EU mob,but in essence does a militant mob have any legality at all?

I also heard in amongst all the rhetoric  that several heads of state have recognised that Russia has justified concerns over the fate of Crimea.

Just heard on the news, that the referendum scheduled for the summer in Crimea, has been brought forward to the end of March.This should establish whether or not Crimea will become fully autonomous.

It seems that one of the first things the new gov. in Kiev did was to bann the Russian language, even in Russian speaking areas of Ukraine, like Crimea.I don't think the new gov. has endeared itself to the population there.

 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the First World Ward and the 75th anniversary of the start of the Second. 

 

Pete Seegar got it about right

 

The more I learn, the more complicated it gets.

The easiest way to look at it...... Anything to the west of the river Dneiper is Ukranian, pro Europe, and voted for the chick with the pigtails wrapped round her head.
Anything to the east is ethnic Russian and they had their bloke kicked out recently. It has been like this since the collapse of the USSR.
Logically, and peacefully, Ukraine needs to split in two.

I think it's all getting quite dangerous

Hopefully it's just Putin being  grumpy as everyone ignored  him during the protests,maybe now he's made everyone sit up and take notice he'll BACK OFF...

There are Russian interests in the Crimea, Black Sea Fleet, Military Base and a Military Airport as well as the civilian one. To add to that, The people are very pro Russian and actually are Russian, having been handed to Ukraine when the USSR was broken up.....so perhaps Putin has every right to make his presence felt in the province and taking a firm stance might enhance his reputation at home, which is currently lounging somewhere below the Doldrums