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Jun

3

Power Corrupts, Gas Power Corrupts Russia

Filed Under Uncategorized 

Kudos a Foreign Notes, I found out that, unless the western world does something, Ukraine will be at Russia’s mercy.  Now, just as they are s’posed to be settling on an Orange Revolution Coalition, Russia has announced that they are going to raise significantly the price of gas for Ukrainians by July 1st(most of whom are so poor that it constitutes a critical portion of their budget), but that they will lower the price of gas if Ukraine scales back their pro-Western foreign policy. 

We live in important times.  The autonomy of Ukraine from Russia matters for the rest of the Soviet Union, but this autonomy will only be sustainable if the US and EU do more to support Ukraine.  This goes beyond helping them to open their borders to foreign capital or join NATO.  This is going to take humanitarian aid transfers and maybe a word or two with Yuschenko on the need for him to provide the sort of leadership that will provide stability and the sorts of reforms promised during the Orange Revolution.

But my heart goes out to the Ukrainian people, it seems it’d be natural to feel like mice in an arena of elephants, I’ve heard of the anxiety from the present instability of the situation there.  It’s not enough that the ORevolution fell so seriously short in the first year, now it seems the coalition can’t get it’s act together, and Russia remains the 800 pound Gorilla in the corner whose will cannot be denied.

This will end in tragedy unless Yuschenko starts being a real leader and the West rallies around supporting pro-people reforms in Ukraine.

dlw

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