Today’s ally can easily be tomorrow’s enemy while there is a stark difference between opponents who can be used as assets to achieve broader, long-term goals and outright liabilities. Because Russian President Vladimir Putin has always preferred to suppress dissent and the voices of opponents, he may not be able to fully appreciate this statement. The pro-Russian militants in Ukraine may serve Putin’s interests today, but their destabilizing and rebellious nature mean they will become a liability very soon.
In the saga that is the Ukraine Crisis, the International Community is preparing to initiate far more damaging sanctions against Russia for its involvement in the unrest, yet the West is pausing in hopes that Russian rhetoric favoring peace in Ukraine will translate into genuine effort. Although the summer is probably the optimal time to garner support for sanctions, after all, Europeans will be depending on a predictable flow of Russian natural gas this coming winter, the fact Putin’s involvement in the Ukraine Crisis is murky means Western action must follow his action. That said, compelling evidence demonstrating Russian martial support of militants does justify sanctions. Aside from the fact that Russia is a major world power, Putin’s propaganda campaign to shape his involvement in Ukraine as heroic prevents Putin from being outright pinned as the antagonist in the eyes of many. Where actions like canceling authorization for the use of military force in Ukraine, calling for an extension of a seize fire, and pushing for direct talks with insurgents could be a sign that Putin is trying to end the Crisis, though it would help if he started arresting “Russian volunteers” who crossing the border and engaging in militant activities. That said, Putin’s gestures could also be a means of disarming Western support for the Ukrainian government, which Putin is trying to demonize, as he bolsters rebel forces. If the current situation is simply an extension of the deceit he used to acquire Crimea, Putin is not helping; he is creating long-term liabilities for Ukraine, Russia, and himself.
Comments
|
Read old posts
April 2020
|