Nelson Lopes <[email protected]> writes: Subject: [Goanet] Why Russia invaded ukraine
.After the break up of erstwhile Soviet Union, both GERMANY and France saw futility of NATO,as there was no enemy to be confronted now.Russia had very specifically demanded that NATO will not expand in the region.The temporary assurances were dishonored as all the new states of Soviet Union were covered by protective umbrella of NATO.Ukraine till now is not a member of NATO though it has shown inclination and now requested for membership.Russia has legitimate grievances to be surrounded by hostile ne forces that can at some point destabilize its security concerns USA wanted to create a new enemy for economic reasons and spur demand for sales of war machines. HENCE it promoted Ukraine to further its designs .The reasons adduced d by Russia are in the realm of Speculations.The points of concerns and disagreement could have been discussed thread bare.Instead unilaterally invading ,bombarding and massing material , troops to show its military superiority.. The means irrespective i Of end no way justify the end,,.Russia has earned the ire of International community with sanctions, boycot and bans further freezing assets.These measures have not cowed down Russia in embarking on destructive spree Sanctions affect the poor the most.The threat of nuclear stand off has indicated the brinkmanship of Putin enlarging the conflict to a dangerous levels.Ukraine is a sovereign country and free to decide its own course and not dictated by Russia Germany France are charting out independent course of action regarding sanctions.China has made its intentions clear.UNO with its veto powers has no powers to enforce its will with abstention. USA is thus manufacturing acommon enemy to further its own ends Russia with its mitary might has laid a dangerous precedent which established orders of safe boundaries and undermining independence of countries Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Comment: Dear Mr. Lopes: The situation in 1991 Following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 Ukraine inherited about 3000 nukes, instantly becoming the country with the third largest number of nukes in the world after the USA and Russia.In the following years there was a lot of pressure on Ukraine to denuclearize. 1994 an agreement was reached to dismantle the silos and move all the nukes in Ukraine to Russia.Ukraine wanted security guarantees in exchange for giving up the nukes, but what they got was the Budapest Memorandum with security "assurances". "According to the memorandum, signatories Russia, the U.S., and the U.K. agreed to respect the “independence and sovereignty and existing borders of Ukraine” after the country agreed to give up its nuclear stockpile. Ukraine was also promised that its territorial integrity and political independence will be maintained and that the signatories will not use economic coercion against Ukraine to their own advantage." Fast Forward to 2022 "As Ukraine battles powerful Russian armed forces, leaders of the country have expressed regrets about giving up their nuclear weapons which they believe might have held off an invasion of their territory by Russian President Vladimir Putin." Read more at https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/02/01/what-budapest-memorandum-means-us-ukraine/ https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/explained-when-and-how-did-ukraine-give-up-its-nuclear-arsenal/article65088073.ece Regards, E. DeSousa
