Above (click on image to enlarge) shows the distribution of ethnic Russians in Ukraine. What we are witnessing is a ratcheting up of tensions principally by the USA and other “hawks” in NATO. This is dangerous brinkmanship. The NATO strategy is clear. It is this:
1. Encourage the Saudis to pump out sufficient oil to keep the oil price low.
2. Exploit the immense difficulties Russia faces that result from 1 above.
There is a very old piece of conventional wisdom that needs to be repeated here: Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it’s mistakes. The fact of the matter is that wars are often started by miscalculation. There are two examples in recent history:
– The Argentine junta thought they could invade the Falklands without an actual shooting war – they thought it would be settled diplomatically.
– Saddam Hussain thought he had received an unwritten understanding from the US State Dept. that his invasion of Kuwait would be tolerated.
It is clear that if the ethnic Ukrainians wish to have Ukraine incorporated as vassal of the EU. It is also clear that the ethnic Russians do not wish this and desire a closer relationship with Russia. The solution is obvious: Partition. Then the Ukrainians in the west can join the EU and the Russians in the east can seek what relationship they wish with Russia.