Obama and Kerry Take a Stand on Ukraine
The U.S. president is not simply facing the most crucial geopolitical challenge of his presidency with Putin in Ukraine. In a way, he is also staking Europe’s future and America’s role in international affairs on his ability to credibly deter further Ukrainian border violations by Russia.
Clearly, Barack Obama is aware of this and, like Harry Truman or Ronald Reagan in their times, he has firmly backed Ukraine since Monday. The dry warning he sent to the Kremlin, and his urgent dispatch of Secretary of State John Kerry to Kiev on Tuesday, prove this. “If in fact they continue on the current trajectory they’re on, then we are examining a whole series of steps — economic, diplomatic — that will isolate Russia and will have a negative impact on Russia’s economy and status in the world,” he threatened.
“Not a single piece of credible evidence supports any one of these claims [from Russia about a danger to minorities],” added the secretary of state in a speech from Kiev that had Churchillian overtones. Kerry praised the Ukrainian government’s coolness and restraint in the face of Russian aggression. Russia is “out of excuses” for its intervention, he said, after denouncing Putin’s propaganda as lies. “The United States of America would prefer to see this de-escalate … but if Russia does not choose to de-escalate … [we] absolutely [have] no choice but to … expand upon steps we have taken in recent days in order to isolate Russia,” threatened Kerry. “We will stand with the people of Ukraine.”
Washington severed all military cooperation with Moscow and threatened new sanctions this week. The State Department suggested freezing Russian bank accounts and banning certain visas, actions likely to affect an elite group of Putin supporters with a presence in Europe. Kerry has also promised urgent bilateral aid credits to Kiev in the amount of $1 billion. A larger aid plan will be implemented with the help of the International Monetary Fund, he promised.
http://watchingamerica.com/News/234169/obama-and-kerry-take-a-stand-on-ukraine/
