Russia looks
to a March 15 referendum on the annexation of Crimea which would divide Ukraine
and bring Crimea into the RF. Warnings and threats of sanctions have been
issued by the USA, EU, Canada and others. EU leaders have frozen talks on
visa-free travel with Russia and threatened asset freezes and economic
sanctions if there is a stalemate or if the situation in Ukraine gets worse. The
former head of the Muslim Tatar minority in Crimea, Mustafa Dzhemilev, has
appealed to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to help make sure Crimea remains
part of Ukraine.
Diplomacy continues, media
attention is fixated on a return to Cold War rhetoric – people seem to be quiet
satisfied by the comfort of old familiar tropes. Good versus evil mapped out
for us in geopolitics once more. I wonder about money flows and financial
interests. It seems that everyone’s economic interests are trumping guarantees
given to the Ukrainian government. Little discussion, however, about China?
Yet still, I am interested
in something else. There is a gloomy, somber mood
on Maidan. It has become a site of memorials and barricades. There are fears
Crimea is already lost; that its government and the world is powerless to halt
Russian ambitions. But the protests, the medical centres, the community food
provisions and collective spirit very much maintain their strength and their
potency. Not for Russia, or for the EU or the West. Yet Russian and Western
media (Putin versus Obama, who cares or knows about the Ukrainians?) are both
hungry for the next best-selling sensational story.
The Guardian
today ran an interesting piece citing Ukrainians on the Maidan:
“It is a very
terrifying situation and many people are afraid. I am worried a lot. When
something like this is happening you realise that safety and peace are above
all other needs. ... In the independent Ukraine there was never military
action; in fact Ukraine is a peaceful country, which is also proved by the
exceptionally peaceful demonstrations which lasted for the last three months
...
Internally
[in Ukraine], I think it is already happening [that we are seeing] exceptional
unity of the people and this I am sure will continue having an effect on the
situation. I do not think anybody ever expects how strong Ukrainians are. I am
so proud to be Ukrainian; this strong-willed nation can’t be defeated.”
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