Neo-imperialism in action

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published its own plan of overcoming the internal conflict in Ukraine. According to this plan, Russia offers to create a group of support for Ukraine, which should be involved in keeping to the agreements of February 21 in the part of handing over “illegal weapons,” clearing the buildings and streets, and investigation of killings in Kyiv – all this in spite of the fact that Russia did not sign these agreements. Moscow offers “to call without undue delay by the decision of the Verkhovna Rada the constitutional assembly with equal representation of all Ukrainian regions for preparation of a new federative constitution.”

Moreover, this constitution, in Russia’s opinion, should reinforce the federative form of government, its military-political neutrality, state status for Russian language, protection of human rights and the rights of all minorities, elected local bodies, and non-intrusion into church affairs. The RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers that this constitution should be approved at a nationwide referendum. After this, Russia wants general and local elections of “legislative and executive bodies in every subject of the federation.”

Apart from that Russia insists that the group should declare that “it recognizes and respects the right of the Crimea to define its destiny according to the results of the free declaration of will during the referendum held on March 16, 2014.” Russia again offers for the EU, the US, and itself to be the guarantors of the new territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine via a resolution of the UN Security Council.

By the way, Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Karl Bildt in his Twitter commented on this plan as follows: “Latest Russia proposal on Ukraine smells somewhat like dream of repetition of February 1945 deals on fate of Poland.”

COMMENTARY

Volodymyr OHRYZKO, minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine in 2007-09:

“The recent statement of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the very chauvinistic imperial spirit which has not vanished from the Kremlin’s heads. Ukraine has been and continues to be for them a stick in their throat (until it becomes a member of the EU and NATO) and hinders Russia from building the terrible neo-imperial regime. That is why Russia behaves in such a way regarding the Crimea and tells us how to arrange our life. This is      neo-imperialism in action, nothing more than that.

“As for the response of the Ukrainian power to the statement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kyiv should respond by breaking of all diplomatic relations with the aggressor; submit a petition to international courts to punish the leaders of the Russian Federation for committing an international crime. This should be followed by a quickest possible application for NATO membership, quick signing of the two parts of the Association Agreement, and carrying out real radical reforms. Then not only the Crimea, but also a big part of Russia will ask themselves a simple question: why do we need this bloody dictatorship regime?

“As for the reaction of the EU, at these circumstances it must be resolute, taking into account Russia’s great dependence on the world economy and the economy of the European Union. If these actions will be well-coordinated and tangible for Russia, all attempts of the Russian Federation to build the world in a new way will collapse. If the tactic of pacification continues, we will have another Munich of 1938.

“Russia won’t change its opinion unless there are real, serious, and painful sanctions. The EU and the US have made a huge mistake by talking to Russia as a partner who shares their values. Russia has a different kind of values and people in the West have finally seen this, although far from all of them. For many are linked to Russia by banal corruption.”