US President Barack Obama met acting Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Washington and it clearly showed US support to Kiev’s interim government. On Sunday, the ethnic Russian majority Crimea votes in a referendum to decide whether to remain in Ukraine or to join Russia. Russia holds the trumps. The West maintains that the referendum violates the UN charter. Obama has threatened to slap costs on Russia’s continued occupation of Crimea. It seems that G-7 is contemplating further sanctions against Russia. President Putin feels that the situation is under control following the exit of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Russia and Vladimir Putin are well aware of sanctions ahead. The EU is planning to conclude a political agreement with Kiev later this month. The US Senate has authorized a $ 1 billion loan guarantee to Ukraine. Crimea holds a key position in Russian calculations and the G-8 meet in Sochi in June is not expected to soften their attitude.
US Secretary of State John Kerry met Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. The problem is that the US fumbled at the outset in dealing with the crisis. Antagonizing Russia will not help as that will not ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. What is needed is a fruitful dialogue between Russia and Ukraine even if it involves compromises on both sides. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is steadily hardening her attitude. Germany relies on Russia for oil and gas and sanctions will hurt her country as well. But, Russia stepping up military operations near the Ukrainian border has caused concern in the West which may launch an economic retaliation. NATO has already announced deployment of fighter jets and exercises to countries on the Western border of Ukraine. Does it smack of the onset of a major conflagration?
