The President this morning said that a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine situation was still possible. Exactly what does that mean. When a bank robber points a gun at a teller and says give me all the money in the drawer is there a diplomatic solution to that situation? Generally, one would say no, for even if the bank robber has second thoughts there is still the crime of attempted bank robbery, and a whole host of gun laws that have been broken.
Is Putin’s threat against Ukraine any different than a bank robber and his gun sticking up a bank? Again the simple answer is no, it isn’t. Even if the robber leaves the bank without the money he is still guilty of a crime. In this case I assume the Ukrainian leaders are rueing the day they gave up their nuclear weapons. This is something we should remember for the future; they gave up those weapons, in part, because of guarantees of safety they received from Russia. So, if you’re considering a treaty with Russian remember how well they kept the one with Ukraine.
Without the natural gas pipeline to Germany being built Russia depends upon the pipeline that currently runs through Ukraine from which Ukraine receives quite a lot of money in transit fees. Much of Europe depends upon that pipeline for natural gas to heat homes in the winter and to run industrial plants year round. Were I President Zelensky I would make sure the pipeline stations and other vulnerable places on the pipeline were covered with explosives and the promise to detonate those charges should the Russians come across the border. This makes the conflict, then, the concern of every nation that depends upon Russian gas and should bring not just the EEC but other non EC countries.
The Russians also need to consider the destruction of the pipeline since that gas is one of Russia’s primary sources of income. It would mean little if POL prices increase significantly if Russia can’t deliver the gas.
Biden, on the other hand, needs to remove the impediments he put in the way of energy production in the U.S. Then the U.S. should strike bargains with European countries to deliver liquified natural gas via ship to any country that wants to sign an agreement.
This is the only kind of solution that is needed. Russia has nothing to offer other than not to commit a crime against humanity as its bargaining chit. That should not be allowed. That’s like the bully in the school yard who says give me your money or I’ll beat you up. The only way to handle bullies is to stand up to them. Sometimes that takes a group. Well it’s time to stand up to Russia. The only solution to this issue is for Russian to back its troops off the Ukraine border.
I see in breaking news, as I write this, that Russia has made the expected accusation of crimes by Ukrainian military forces that will need to be responded to by the Russian military. Strange that Putin and Hitler are both five letter, two syllable names just like Tojo is a two syllable name. The other thing they have in common is using the same playbook to attempt to justify aggression.
Enough said. Stand up to the bully.
Couldn’t a preemptive threat made publicly by Ukrainian officials to destroy the gas pipeline be spun by Putin as a necessary condition for invading the Ukraine and “securing” the pipeline? He could frame it as saving the EEC countries from economic hardship and “terrorist” activities by Ukrainian officials. Such actions are better left unsaid and off-the-record and merely understood as possibilities. Also, the removal of nuclear weapons from the Ukraine seems now to be even more prudent. Russia may well invade Ukraine and re-colonize parts or all of it, but the consideration of a “limited” nuclear war is a terribly frightening prospect.