Again, from the UKTelegraph.com:
by Damien McElroy
Vladimir Putin has mocked diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine crisis as Russia threatened to disrupt European gas supplies by cutting off sales to Kiev over its unpaid debts.
The Russian president said through his official spokesman that, despite deep disagreements with the West, he did not want a confrontation over Ukraine to spiral into a “new cold war”.
Nevertheless Dmitry Peskov ridiculed Western demands for direct talks between the Kremlin and the new Kiev government, claiming that the loss of credibility involved “puts a smile on our face”.
Clearly, Mr Putin is enjoying the ride, as he watches the attempted coordinated response of western nations to the Ukraine/Crimean situation. And the response is, as of yet, no response at all.
Putin’s history is such that he would care to reassemble the former USSR and bring Russia back to its so-called “former glory.” For an individual whose higher educational thesis was on the politics of oil, and how to allow Russia to acquire even greater power due to its sitting on massive fields of gas and oil, his energy policy seems to follow the theme of holding nation states hostage for same. This appears to be perfectly in keeping with his past holdings, philosophy, training, education and experience.
Those who find themselves shocked over Mr Putin’s moves have no grasp of Russian history and simultaneously a belief in fairy dust and gremlins.
BZ
Putin is a Soviet at heart and mind, and world domination is always the end game for a true Soviet, Domination and power. Soviets have always been world bullies, and there are no leaders with a backbone to punch him in the nose. Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher are gone.
They are indeed. The only individual with an ounce of courage in Europe is Angela Merkel.
BZ
Putin is and always be a KGB field agent.
Superb assassin.
Some now say he is the world’s richest person.
Stole all of it.
The Russian citizenry absolutely love him.
Who actually knows how many people he kills with his direct orders (exterminates) in a year.
But, he does it. He was trained this way.
I am not sure who pulls his strings these days
Probably no one.
Obama is his sissy butt-boy.
Nothing more, and would kill him (have him killed).
There is absolutely nothing the present USA can do about Russia.
Putin is his own man. For him, it is “his” time now, and time for Russia to regain its lost world power. Putin realizes that massive power he truly wields in the energy department, and that translates to geopolitical power.
BZ
Putin was and IS KGB… And has NO compunction about holding hostages any way he can. And he does hold the ‘high’ hand with the oil and gas…
This goes to the heart of a lot of issues.
On the Merkel comment:
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116852/merkel-was-right-putins-lost-his-mind-press-conference
The Putin thesis reference reminds me of someone. Which reminds me of the question who is really in charge?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewhulbert/2012/09/24/bps-political-risk-problem-in-russia-who-is-in-charge/
If Putin does loose it then the Siloviki are back in and these folks can make Putin look like a really nice guy.
From the Guardian 28 Feb:
“A Russian spy ship has slipped into Havana for an unannounced visit, a day after the country’s defence minister announced plans to expand Russia’s worldwide military presence….On Wednesday in Moscow, the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, said Russia planned to increase its military projection abroad, including in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.” Putin has plans and the resources and the nerve to implement them.
Putin sees weakness and lack of purpose in western leadership. He is willing to exploit it. No one wants be perceived as willing to confront Russia militarily whether they would or not. He needs someone to give him a bloody nose and there is no one. If he wants more than the Crimea, then what?
The irony is that courtesy of the NonProliferation Treaty, Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal which was the third largest in the world and sent them all to Russia.
And when they vote in Crimea on 16 Mar, oddly enough the day the paralympics in Sochi end, and they vote to join mother Russia, then what will the west do?
Checkmate.
“Putin sees weakness and lack of purpose in western leadership.”
What he sees is accurate. What too many Leftists see as munificence and compassion is read by those whose hearts are impure as easy weakness.
BZ
Just think how great America could be if your leader(s) actually had testicles like certain Russian leaders.
Just sayin’.