Europe divided on Russia

The European- US alliance seems to be breaking up as well as within Europe as well at the same time  as it looks like another Minsk-style sell-out of Novorossia

Our local media toes the American line.

Comments from Peter Lavelle:

"Incredibly so, there is a real possibility now of a Ukraine-Russia war and/or a Washington-led war against Russia because of Ukraine. 

"Make no mistake: Since the western-back coup in Kiev a year ago, Moscow rightfully sees its security threatened. Russia will not under any conditions (suggested by Washington to resolve the crisis) back down. 

"We are moving toward a war that should never have been made possible. Washington wants a war – Europeans, Ukrainians, and Russians will be the ones to die. 

"There is one certainty now – Ukraine is dissolving as a state. Soon it will be nothing more than an historical term. As a physical place is will shortly cease to exist. American arms will be a nail in Ukraine’s coffin…"

Europe Fractures: France Pivots To Putin, Cyprus Offers Moscow Military Base, Germany-US Splinter On Ukraine

Zero Hedge,

8 February, 2014

Following yesterday's summary of the utter farce that the Minsk Summit/Ukraine "peace" deal talks have become, the various parties involved appear to be fracturing even faster today. The headlines are coming thick and fast but most prescient appears to be: Despite John Kerry's denial of any split between Germany and US over arms deliveries to Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier slammed Washington's strategy for being "not just risky but counterproductive." But perhaps most significantly is France's continued apparent pivot towards Russia... Following Francois Hollande's calls for greater autonomy for Eastern Ukraine, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has come out in apparent support of Russia (and specifically against the US), "we are part of a common civilization with Russia,” adding, "the interests of the Americans with the Russians are not the interests of Europe and Russia." Even NATO appears to have given up hope of peace as Stoltenberg's statements show little optimism and the decision by Cyprus to allow Russia to use its soil for military facilities suggests all is not at all well in the European 'union'.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier doubled down on Germany's rejection of weapons deliveries to Ukraine in a speech here Sunday...

• 
  
  
  
  *GABRIEL SAYS GERMAN SPD WOULD NEVER BACK ARMS TO UKRAINE

• *EUROPE SEES U.S. ARMS DELIVERIES TO UKRAINE AS BAD IDEA: LAVROV

"I see this, to say it openly, as not just for risky but for counter-productive," Mr. Steinmeier said at the Munich Security Conference. Mr. Steinmeier also hit back at open criticism of Germany's position on weapons deliveries from U.S. Senators and others here on Saturday. The White House is mulling delivering weapons to Ukraine to support the country's fight against pro-Russia separatists in the country's east.

"Perhaps we are so insistent because we know the region a bit," 

 Mr. Steinmeier said.

But John Kerry says, everything's fine... as he denies any split between U.S. and Europe on Russia policy...

Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday denied any divisions between the U.S. and Europe over how to handle Russia, as Germany announced another high-level summit aimed at stemming the crisis in Ukraine.

Kerry told a security conference in Munich that he wanted to "assure everybody there is no division, there is no split" between Washington and its European allies amid the crisis in Ukraine.

"We are united, we are working closely together," he told the conference following meetings with his French and German counterparts. "We all agree that this challenge will not end through military force. We are united in our diplomacy."

But perhaps most significantly is France's continued apparent pivot towards Russia... Following Francois Hollande's calls for greater autonomy for Eastern Ukraine, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has come out in apparent support of Russia (and specifically against the US).

“We are part of a common civilization with Russia,” said Sarkozy, speaking on Saturday at the congress of the Union for a Popular Movement Party (UMP), which the former president heads.

“The interests of the Americans with the Russians are not the interests of Europe and Russia,” he said adding that “we do not want the revival of a Cold War between Europe and Russia.”

“Crimea has chosen Russia, and we cannot blame it [for doing so],” he said pointing out that “we must find the means to create a peacekeeping force to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine.”

And then Cyprus joins the fracture party, offering to sign a military cooperation agreement on Feb 25th offering Russia the use of military facilities on its soil...

The air force base at which Russian planes will use is about 40 kilometers from Britain's sovereign Air Force base at Akrotiri, on the south shores of Cyprus, which provides support to NATO operations in the Middle and Near East regions

Even NATO appears to know the "peace deal" is not coming...

• STOLTENBERG: 'IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY' IF MINSK PRODUCES CEASE-FIRE

But there is still hope.. as Germany's Vice-Chanceller hopes...

• *GERMANY'S GABRIEL `CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC' ABOUT MINSK SUMMIT

demands...

• *PUTIN MUST TAKE EU'S `OUTSTRETCHED HAND,' GABRIEL SAYS

But adds...

• *EU SEEKS POST-CRISIS PARTNERSHIP RENEWAL WITH RUSSIA: GABRIEL

We will know soon...

• *RUSSIA SAYS FEB. 9-10 UKRAINE MEETINGS TO PREPARE MINSK SUMMIT

Ukraine crisis: Putin, Poroshenko, Hollande, Merkel voice plans for Minsk meeting

RT,

8 February, 2015

A 'Normandy Four' meeting may be held in the Belarus capital as early as Wednesday, the German government said, following a phone call between Vladimir Putin, Petro Poroshenko, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande.

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany held a joint telephone call this morning, the German government says.

"In [the call] they worked further on a package of measures in the context of their efforts on a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine," Steffen Seibert, Germany’s government spokesperson, said in a statement.

"This work will be continued tomorrow in Berlin with the goal of holding a 'Normandy Format' summit on Wednesday in Minsk," he dded.

Signatories of last year's Minsk deal, including representatives of the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine and rebel forces would join the meeting in Minsk.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said the meeting will take place "if by then we manage to agree our positions, which we have been discussing very intensively in recent days." According to diplomatic sources, Moscow may be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin.

Hopes for breakthrough: Moscow talks on Ukraine 'constructive,' joint doc 'possible'

The plan was also confirmed by President Petro Poroshenko's press service who said the leaders hope the talks will lead to "a swift and unconditional” ceasefire on both sides.

The phone call follows Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande’s visit to Moscow, where they attempted to hammer out a peace plan with Vladimir Putin.

Their surprise visits to the capitals of Ukraine and Russia, with new peace proposals, were announced while US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Kiev, speaking of possible weapons supplies to Ukrainian government troops.

Political analysts believe the dispute inside the US on whether to arm Ukraine could actually trigger the Franco-German peace initiative, because Europe is reluctant to have a full-blown war on its doorstep.

The details of the Franco-German peace initiative have not been disclosed, though Francois Hollande said on Saturday the Franco-German peace initiative would feature a 50- to 70-kilometer demilitarized zone on each side of the current line dividing militia-held and Kiev-controlled territories.

French President Hollande calls for broader autonomy for E.Ukraine

Calling on Kiev to grant east Ukraine more powers, Hollande said the plan could be “one of the last chances” for peace in Ukraine.

Angela Merkel also ruled out the option of arming Ukrainian army as a possible solution to the crisis. "I understand the debate [on weapons supplies] but I believe that more weapons will not lead to the progress Ukraine needs. I really doubt that," she said.

The spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, would only describe the deal as “constructive.”

‘World-wide military conflict can still be averted' – President of Slovenia

The escalation of the Ukraine crisis has galvanized the international community towards another major push for a political solution. And with the possibility of Kiev being armed by the the US, the conflict threatens to take on grander proportions. Can Slovenia's experience with secession and conflict resolution offer any lessons for dealing with Ukraine, and is there hope for a peaceful settlement? Oksana is joined by the President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, to debate issues

For the Empire's version of events

Ukraine conflict: four-nation peace talks in Minsk aim to end crisis

Planned summit in Belarus capital on Wednesday comes after intense diplomacy between France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia

Don't ask me if this is reported outside Russian or French media - of course it's not!

Crimea Cannot Be Blamed for Choosing to Join Russia - Sarkozy

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy noted on Saturday that France and Russia are part of a common European civilization, and that Crimea cannot be blamed for choosing to join Russia.

Sputnik News,

7 February, 2015

Speaking on Saturday before supporters at the congress of the Union for a Popular Movement Party (UMP), Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy played a conciliatory note toward Russia, noting that Crimea could not be blamed for choosing to leave Ukraine amidst the turmoil of early 2014.

"We are part of a common civilization with Russia," Sarkozy, who serves as the president of the UMP, noted. "The interests of the Americans with the Russians are not the interests of Europe and Russia," he noted. The former president added that "we do not want the revival of a Cold War between Europe and Russia."

With regard to Crimea's referendum to leave Ukraine and join Russia in March 2014, Sarkozy noted that "Crimea has chosen Russia, and we cannot blame it [for doing so]." He added that "we must find the means to create a peacekeeping force to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine."

On Ukraine's hopes to join the European Union, Sarkozy noted that "Ukraine must preserve its role as a bridge between Europe and Russia. It is not destined to join the European Union."

On March 16, 2014, a referendum carried out in Crimea saw a vast majority of vote

More news that's likely to be censored in MSM

Cyprus to offer military facilities to Russia: President

Cyprus will offer Russia military facilities on its soil, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday.

China Development,

7 February, 2015

In an interview with a local newspaper, Anastasiades said that a pact strengthening defense relations between the two countries will be signed when he visits Moscow on Feb. 25.

"There is an old (defense) agreement which is to be renewed as it is. At the same time, some additional facilities will be provided just like we do with other countries - France and Germany for example," Anastasiades said.

Cyprus is currently providing facilities to French planes, such as refueling and maintenance at an air force base near the western city of Paphos and port facilities to German ships supporting the United Nations peace operations in Lebanon.

The air force base at which Russian planes will use is about 40 kilometers from Britain's sovereign Air Force base at Akrotiri, on the south shores of Cyprus, which provides support to NATO operations in the Middle and Near East regions.

Cyprus and Russia traditionally enjoy close relations based on cultural ties and a common religious tradition.

Russia has been one of the main supporters of Cyprus in its decades old dispute with Turkey, providing both political and military support in the form of arms sales.

Anastasiades said in his interview that Cyprus opposes additional sanctions against Russia by the European Union over Ukraine.

"We want to avoid further deterioration in relations between Russia and Europe," said Anastasiades.

He added that a positive aspect is that many countries within the European Union are feeling the same way, supporting the diplomatic way rather than additional sanctions against Russia.

"Cyprus and Russia enjoy traditionally good relations and that is not going to change," Anastasiades said.

He said that the current Russian economic crisis will probably affect some sectors of the Cypriot economy which is struggling to return to growth following the eastern Mediterranean island's bailout in a 10-billion-euro deal with the Eurogroup and the International Monetary Fund early in 2013.

"Tourism, services, investments in property ... the crisis certainly affects our economy negatively," Anastasiades said. 


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