The EU invites the US and Russia to partition Ukraine

With an announcement of a few words, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton announced yesterday that Ukraine accepted to participate in a meeting planned to take place in Geneva together with representatives of Russia, the EU and the US. The international relations tradition and practice has it, that whenever a weak country, tormented by existential internal problems, sits at the same table with the great world powers in order to solve its internal stalemate, this is tantamount to accepting that those great powers have a vested interest in her. In this case, Ukraine accepts that Russia, the EU and the US have a shared influence in its internal developments and the eventual agreement of the three will shape its own future. Strong foreign influence Despite the rhetoric by those great powers, that they wish a unifying solution in Ukraine’s internal divisions, the truth is that by sitting together to decide the poor country’s future, the three accept each-others vested interests. Obviously, the purpose of this meeting isn’t to secure unifying solutions on Ukraine’s political and economic problems, but the three are coming together to bargain between them and secure the largest possible part of influence for them at the smallest possible cost. Not to forget that Ukraine’s economic dead-ends are so huge that none of the three can bare them alone. In detail, Ashton announced yesterday, that she “will participate in a meeting between the European Union, the United States, Ukraine and Russia which will take place in Geneva on Thursday 17 April, to discuss the crisis in Ukraine”. The Press release also informs the world that the “The European Union is fully engaged in the diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis in Ukraine and to find a political solution”. This last sentence is a direct reference to EU’s vested interests in Ukraine and Ashton tells everybody that the European Union has an inalienable right in shaping the future of the poor country. Then, the Press release concedes that other foreign powers also have legitimate interests in Ukraine. It says “Together with the international community, the EU is making a major contribution to efforts to stabilise the situation in the country”. Revolting against whom? Of course, all the causes for the impasse Ukraine faces right now are not imported. The country has not a long history of independent existence. The utterly atomistic behavior of all Ukrainian politicians, after the emancipation from Moscow on 16 July 1990, longing for their personal enrichment, deprived the country from unifying and solid political and economic policies aimed at a sustainable future with national unity. Both the Orange Revolution and the recent Euromaidan (Kiev’s central Independence Square) uprising of 2013-2014 were powered by the people’s outrage against corruption, misrule and the reign of politico-economic gangs and oligarchs assuming the form of political parties, which controlled the economy. Democratic institutions have been restricted to presidential and parliamentary elections. Winning a Presidential election was every time transformed into an onslaught on the public’s resources and the business sector. This is what the people resented and revolted against in 2004 and during this last winter. Unfortunately, after both revolutions the Euromaidan was conquered by well-organized and curiously funded ‘regiments’ of professional protestors. Invariably, the country ends up in the hands of one or another part of the totally corrupt politico-economic elite. Divided future? In view of that, the European Sting reported on 20 March 2014 that “Last Monday’s decision of the EU Foreign Affairs Council to impose visa restrictions and freezing of assets to 21 Ukrainians and Russians is full of exceptions. Member states can avoid imposing the sanctions almost at will. This fact shows clearly how cynic is the Western strategy over the Ukrainian issue. As for Russia, the ‘bear’s’ reactions have always been violent and forceful. Alas, poor Ukraine seems to lack a strong and well-organized force of honest and effective politicians. Not many of them have survived after all those years of corruption, political murders and persecution by the rulers of Kiev”. Now the EU, the US and Russia will drag Ukraine to Geneva and try to come up with a deal. Undoubtedly, this will be an eventual arrangement of spheres of influence on the poor country, once the breadbasket of Europe. The Ukrainian politicians who will represent their county in this meeting will be the present and the ousted Presidents being themselves a ‘guarantee’ of a divided future.