Quote Originally Posted by DrBaldhead View Post
The area will descend into chaos. I consider this outcome quite real because that was the main goal of the powers which had started it all. A new politically unstable, dangerous region right under the borders of geopolitical enemies. The conflicts will go on, spreading hatred and poverty, making a good soil for various extremist organizations. Once again, the US will become the safest place in the world. By the price of safety in any other places.
Yet, I still hope we could solve that problem.
Scary if true. I think they need to have that referendum and it needs to be fair, legit and consider all options.

At the moment there is so much propaganda and misinformation that I doubt even the East Ukrainians themselves are sure what they want..

Quote Originally Posted by Basil77 View Post
I agree with ВарраВа. The irony is that it's exactly how modern Russia, Ukraine and Belarus was born. And entire "civilized world" was totally ok with it.
Well, I think China paid very close attention in 1991, and learned exactly what not to do if they want to keep their country together and avoid foreign influence that could split things up.

And sure, once the USA got a foot in, regional nationalism was their best weapon against Moscow, since it was already there and a bit supressed. Plus also tricking people that scrapping socialism was a sure way to get a condo, a designer wardrobe and a BMW in five years...

And as you know, whatever the USA likes, we in Western Europe eventually end up "liking", whether we like it on not (pun intended). If not, they have their bases here... So that was never even an option really.

I am not hostile against Russia, rather I like it, but I would never claim that Ukraine or Belarus ought to be part of Russia unless the people who lived there specifically asked for it...

If Ukrainians and Belarussians are turned off by things like oligarchs and corruption in modern Russia, or possibly their ancestors were treated badly in the Soviet Union or Imperial Russia, just because they were Ukrainians, then perhaps it makes sense that they turn their back to Russia.

it-Ogo is completely clear now, that he has a strong Ukrainian identity and the recent events seem to have triggered or re-inforced it. And there are a couple of people from Belarus popping in occassionally. They don't seem to hamper after Russian citizenship either.

Russia became the victim of the curse of having had an empire and lost it. So many countries had this experience and had to do some soul searching afterwards for decades or centuries even. Who are we now....?
There's Yugoslavia. Scandinavia essentially speaks one language and has a joint history. There are plenty of examples in Western Europe. Belgium. And that's just Europe.


And it's hard to feel THAT sorry for Russia - it's still the largest country... you've got enough