The NATO-Ukraine Commission met at NATO Headquarters on Wednesday to discuss the current situation in Crimea.
The Political Director of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleksiy Makeiev, and a representative of the Crimean Tatar community, Eskender Bariiev, briefed Allies on the security environment and human rights violations.
According to a release, Allies reaffirmed NATO’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They expressed concern over human rights violations in Crimea, targeting the Crimean Tatar population, as well as other ethnic, political and religious groups.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed:
“Crimea is Ukraine. Five years on, NATO Allies do not and will not recognise Russia’s illegal annexation. We continue to stand by Ukraine with political and practical support. We have not forgotten the heavy price the Ukrainian people continue to pay for their desire to decide their own future free from outside interference.”
NATO continues to call on Russia to immediately release the Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized in November near the Kerch Strait. Allies have increased their practical support to Ukraine in light of the security situation in the Black Sea.
In reality there is very little NATO can do about it other than continue to raise the issue politically. Even then Russia will continue to use disinformation and denial and they will get away with it. I wonder where the line is though.
Probably on the Polish border!
Russia has chosen its own path. It’s a future where most countries treat it as a dictatorship that has little or no real standing in the world. It will take many years to heal the distrust and misinformation which Putin has engrained in his own people. The West now knows Russia as the liar and errant dysfunctional child who only knows how to lie even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Its a massive shame as just 15 years ago Russia seemed to have a bright prosperous future. What now?
“It will take many years to heal the distrust and misinformation which Putin has engrained in his own people. The West now knows Russia as the liar and errant dysfunctional child who only knows how to lie even in the face of overwhelming evidence.”
And the mass of the current political class and much of the mainstream media in this country are any different?
Look what is happening right now in Parliament and elsewhere.
I voted to leave not to have the vote that I was told would be respected and which millions voted honestly on, leave or remain, blocked, watered down or even stopped because the establishment and assorted remainers do not agree.
Not defending Putin for the Salisbury incidents and other behaviour but the west putting itself on a pedestal of democracy, righteousness and truth, well the hypocricy is nauseating quite frankly.
I agree with there being some hypocricy in the west as you said ,democracy, Righteouness but the west is a far better side then Russia right now.Putin is pumping out extreme right misinfomation all the time ,he blames the jews for Russias fails in every aspect which his trolls endorse all the time and he is sending out and funding exterme racist groups out to western style nations , Australia being one of them with the white wolves bikers for example, to spread the word of putinism and fraction , so they are a threat ideology wise and thats the difference, its echoes of fascism and we in the west I hope are better than that.
Dave, would you be so kind to show me a link where Putin is blaming Jews for our problems, I must of missed him saying that.
Daniele – You seem to have manipulated my post to suit your preferred reply! I was not making a comment on the West. But if you want to compare; I fully realise the failings of our own government but I would trust ANY western country before Russia. Russia has made a fool of itself! Most of your replied post has nothing to do with my original post. If the article was about Brexit, I would have replied with a comment regarding Brexit.
Ulya!!!! its easy go on RT news channel on youtube and read some of the comments below or just go to their website as RTs factory trolls cant shut up about the jews, Rothschilds, soros,but im sure you know this already dont you. 😉
True, there are plenty of comments on Rt English language and sites like Russian Insider full of people blaming the Jews. Most of them seem to be pro Russian westerners who have this misguided idea that Russia is some sort of paradise with no problems, they are really annoying, you can call them trolls, to me they are just idiots who have never been to Russia and are talking out thier arse. Im more interested in your comment of Putin blaming the Jews as he is very careful with his language. Your last sentence, maybe I read it wrong, but are you trying to say I’m a troll?
Agree David. I was making a comparison and expanding on it with what I see as similarities, using your post indeed!
Which I thought was the point of discussion forums like this!
OK. Part 2. Based on your post ONLY. OK.
I agree David, Putin has done some very naughty things, suppresses opposition parties, seems to have politicians murdered, and is trying to rebuild Russia into a force on the world stage.
He has moved his military into Crimea and is interfering with Ukraine with Proxy warfare. Interestingly, both are within the Russian sphere of influence and actually have many Russians in them.
Meanwhile, the west bombs or occupies anywhere it chooses and the whole world seems to be in our “sphere of influence” but we think it is OK.
Putin has an ally in Syria. Syria’s leader Assad is a Son of a Bitch, as his whole family has a history of such, no doubt there.
The west thinks Russia and Putin are very naughty and warlike by supporting their ally Assad, even though they were invited to have troops stationed there at the invitation of the government.
Assad is pro western, has a western wife, trained in London, is secular, and is fighting the scum who are ISIS who behead, rape, murder gays by throwing them off buildings, burn pilots alive, and other horrors.
Putin and Assad are fighting those same scum, as the west is. But the west wants the Middle East to itself without Russian “aggression” and interference.
Also interestingly, the wonderful west has many politicians of the left leaning HM opposition who willingly want Shamima Begum back in the Uk, and say that HMG has “blood on its hands” in being responsible for her poor babies death. That means YOU Abbott.
Shamima Begum is a traitor who willingly allied herself with the scum outlined, yet wants to “come home” when it suits now it has all gone tits up. Bangladesh refuses her entry, saying it has “zero tolerance” of terrorists or their supporters.
Most of the great British public see things as they are.
Do we really think in our wildest dreams Putin would allow a traitor home like that as a heroine? No, because he is not riddled with PC.
Oh and while we are at it lets compare Shamima Begums situation with that of Aiden Aslin, a Brit who went out to fight ISIS with the Kurds and is arrested for terrorism offences on his return!
It seems we can just not escape the hypocricy!
See. I did not mention Brexit once! I hope people see my point that although we throw mud at Putin for everything under the sun it is dangerous to ignore the rotten foundations we ourselves are standing on.
David.
As for my rant being TLDR for some and still maybe sliding OT to your first post.
Yes Putin has been a SOAB and the west is right to beware and stop senseless cuts to our military.
But lets see things in perspective and not go too anti Russia.
Absolutely Daniele,
BREXIT is being betrayed by the smug political classes, who have gleefully set about dismantling the whole thing.
It’s an astonishing end to our democratic system and creates dangerous situation moving forward.
We can expect vile parties of the extreme right and left to move to fill the gaps that Labour and Conservative find themselves booted out of…..
Personally speaking, if they fail to deliver on BREXIT ( fully out) then I will never vote for the main parties again.
I shall nail my colours to whatever mast our Nigel desides to support, as will many, many others and help push for a ‘fully out’
European exit.
Dangerous times Indeed.
Hay Daniele. Not being a Firm remainder or leaver ( I will take what’s best for my family and friends, region and county, in that order) I find all of what’s going on in parliament strangely reassuring.
1) an executive with clear and evident checks on its power may be frustrating, but history has one thing to teach, strong executives end up killing lots of people. Weak executive =happy people in the long run ( you can have a weak executive and strong society).
2) I can’t stand single point decisions, it’s not democratic and ends in Badly thought out positions ( see below for my thoughts on position based politics)
3) this county actual needs to sit down and have a good think about how it actually wants to leave the EU. I’m afraid The whole leave means leave was a stupid position ( it did not express many peoples actual needs around jobs, security and power) and it’s ended with no leave option actually having a mandate.
4) Anyone with training in negotiation actual knows that the only effective way to negotiate complex issues is on a needs basis not a position basis and we have not expressed our needs to the EU just a load of random positions so I hope that this wil blow the position based politics we have seen grow recently out the water.
For me best outcome would be a pause with a set of consultations with the public on what they actual need from leaving ( sovereignty, security for farming etc etc etc) then build all those needs into our negation with the EU, and say sorry for wasting 2 of the most important years in our history on position politics.
Comparing Russian actions to Brexit??? oh please, you were promised by a former PM, any other PM has no requirement to follow that promise and Brexit is looking more and more like a disaster, so much for having the upper hand over the EU, just go back to putting your hand in the sand and repeating “its all project fear!”
The real prize for the Russians is the rest of the Ukraine. Didn’t that used to be called the breadbasket of the Soviet Union. It would add to their GDP significantly. I would not be surprised if they tried to gobble that up and I doubt they care what the west thinks. In theory NATO could help turn any spring offensive into a costly exercise by supplying arms etc. Its a little like Hitler – at what point do you say enough is enough?
ULya I can tell you out of experiance that most are not pro Russian westerners commenting anti jew or anti western comments they are just Russians who give them selves fake western names I know how it works and I think you know as well lol!!
As you wish Dave, much easier to blame trolls for your lazy thinking. Dont forget to check under your bed
Ulya, Dave is a fascinating creature, he has been trolling underneath articles that have anything to do with Russia for well over a year, barely if ever comments about anything else, then has the audacity to call people trolls.
He is one of those grew up on James Bond and Jason Bourne types, a Hollywood movie fantasist that cannot comprehend any notion that the west might actually be the bad guys, that the west might be the ones lying, he believes what the mainstream media and his government tell him as absolute gospel and will not entertain otherwise.
The man is a halfwit who is best to be avoided if you want a grown up conversation about world affairs.
Well its pretty well known about the Russian troll factorys as fact and this coming from you solesurvivor who thinks Novichoks attack is some big UK goverment conspiracy testing it on its own people. Whos the fantasist now ?? Your hypocricy stinks comrade.
“Known” or railed about in the press?
Really the fact anyone is willing to take any state is willing to always listen and believe just shows they are unable to think.
Don’t feed ruSSian bloody troll
F..cked Russian trolls overcrowded entire Internet.
I hope your bloody hell tschoyhoo will succeed to complete your independent Soviet-net, and will incompatible with rest of the World as it was in f..coed SU.
And you, “ulya” will get what you really deserveS
Hi Dave.
I know we talked about that months ago when I stood accursed ( accused ) of trolldom.
My offer of a pint still stands! I’m no more a Russian troll than Corbyn is pro Trident!
I cannot speak for others who make a lone post then vanish, and I’m sure Sole is not either. Cheers.
Hi Daniele yes I have a habit of jumping straight in with the Novichoks thing with a passion I must admit ,just like a witch hunter lol!! point is taken.Me TH certainly NOT. Cheers.
Good. We at least understand each other.
May assure , Corbyn is not ruSSian troll, he is just on contract since 80-s
Come on then Ulya tell me your opinion on who was behind the Novichoks attack and did the GRU really hack the OPCW HQ???
Simple answer Dave, I have no idea, I have seen so many different stories by both Russian and western media that I dont believe either side. If Russians are guilty then make a legal case and charge them, prove your case in court. Before you say it, no we will not extradite our people, so it will have to be in a Russian court, but to keep you happy we could have 6 or so judges (and no jury) from neutral countries both sides agree on and both sides agree to honour their verdict. Personally I have heard to many accusations by westerners blaming us for everything from trump, Brexit, the yellow vest riots to your toast being burnt, but very little evidence proving any off it, ‘highly likely’ and dramic stories in your media is opinion, not evidence
Yes well I think the UK goverment put thier case across with pretty much overwhelming evidence to the UN, the fact that the GRU agents identities were exsposed as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, matched to them being spotted on multiple CCTV footage ,one of being a 2 min walk away from the skirpals house where novichoks was found on a door handle, and it just so happens Mr skirpal is ex double agent who worked for MI6 what a coincidence ect ect.
The uk goverment did make a legal case but Russia would not send the suspect for questioning as you said ,no surprise there. And to be honest having Russia be part of the investigation ,you cant trust its goverment even with testing athletes urine samples!!! let alone novichoks with out tampering with them lol. But hey thanks for your opinion , interesting.
Glad you have all the answers Dave, why didnt the UK police take the offer and come to Russia to interview the suspects? Your government is well aware our constitution does not allow extradition. When does the accused party get the chance to see the evidence, to cross examine and defend themselves? If the UK is so confident in its case then there should be no problem. The difference between us Dave is you’re happy to believe your media and government because it suits your point of view of Russia, I just want facts that can be proven, and if Russians are guilty then they should be punished, I would be even be happy for them to be sent to the UK to serve whatever prison time
Why didnt the UK police take the offer and come to Russia to interview the suspects? I should think its mistrust of the Russians crimnal system after the last assination of Alexander Litvinenko they did send police over to interview the suspects and where mis-led at every avenue, plus the suspects then and now are linked to the top ,the Russian state so of course it would be pointless as was said by the uk UN envoy.Well I do read the news but to behonest saying some thing like the BBC being biased on a news article would be strange because they tend to give 2 sides of the story not just one so it wouldnt exactlyy influence me in my opinion fully anyway ,cant say the same about all russisn state owned media though and the facts were laid out at the UN council so read that.
Dave
Overwhelming evidence? They have shown no evidence.
They have only made statements and used rhetoric.
Rhetoric is not evidence. If I went to court with just rhetorical “evidence” the judge would be some where between pissed and dismissive, neither of which for a good criminal case.
You couldn’t get a extradition warrant out of a US court with their amount of evidence much less Russia.
UN council evidence read that.Also I saw the Photos of the GRU agents Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov and then the stills on the CCTV so they looked the same to me, am I poor sighted or did the uk goverment fake it??? Also whats your opinion of the GRU agents caught outside the OPCW HQ by Dutch agents with hacking softwear in the boot of the car with this all filmed and with stills from the airport of them shown ,am I poor sighted or did the dutch agents fake it all ?????
You keep repeating the same things I read in your media Dave, accusation and more accusation, good for making political points. If the UK really wanted to harm Putin and make trouble inside Russia, proving Putin or some high government official sanctioned this attack would be a perfect opportunity, it would make many Russians angry and turn away from Putin, pity your government lacks courage and commitment and im starting to think real evidence all so. I will say it again Dave, take it to court, show your evidence, let the accused defend themselves, follow standard legal procedures, stop making excuses for why you cant doing any of this
Bloody ruSSian troll answer
Falkland islanders want to remain British ? OK
Gibraltarians want to remain British ? OK
Scottish want to remain in UK ? OK
Crimeans want to leave Ukraine and return to Russia ? Unacceptable
Why ? Should people be able to chose their status and governance or are they the property of hostile institutions.
You missed a few:
Slovaks want to leave Czechoslovakia? Ok
Yugoslavia has secessions? Good, in fact let’s help.
Montenegro leaves Serbia? Awesome
Really it should be up to each countries Constitution.
On the Syrian situation, imagine an uprising in London trying to overthrow the government-or any European city or America, the government would react exactly how Assad did (look how France treats it’s protesters and now imagine they had guns trying to take down macron) it was a lose lose situation for him and the entire country or what’s left of it.
How everybody in the West applauded the Arab Spring and look what it has done, we should of been trying to keep those countries from falling apart not bombing them into submission trying to change the regime, bad as they are I’ll bet they’d do anything to have there countries back to how they were
DAt Bistard Puutin maks mee spit onn flour wiv is invasives ov Chiminea froom backside. Wee Is on gord awl times fore wen rusky Tonks an Harey woomans stik gunny bang bangs in reer holls. Wee joyne NATO sewn an wee is nott be-in buggerd bye shorty pointy knows, an is stenchmens wid oily bitts an biggy moonies an hoses in londan kickyball klubs.
I don’t want Ukraine joining NATO. I don’t fancy WW3 thank you very much!
Don’t be ridiculous if it happened in America it would be even bloodier. Look at what we did to each other with muskets. We killed more of each other in less time than they have with modern weapons. The benefits of a professional Officer Corps.
Of course then again in the US it wouldn’t have gotten that far. The rebels in Aleppo where it all started didn’t have the support of the Governor. In the US that means the Governor would therefore order the Adjutant-General of his States National Guard to “Suppress Insurrection and Restore Oder.” (see 1967 riots, 1992 Los Angeles riots, Ferguson MO riots, Baltimore riots)
With those examples you can see how disorder growing outside the ability of police to control isn’t healthy for the rioters as they merely get squished like a bug.
If the ukraine kept its nukes and not give them up for guarantees from Russia that would respect the ukraines sovereignty I doubt Russia would have the balls to take the crimea.
Evening All, Blimey, Just been reading the Replies here, Two things spring to mind.
T and H.
Just sayin.!
Oh and Daniele, Don’t ask me to Translate, I’m Off out In a bit. Might have a go In the Morning though !!!!
Lol! I hadn’t thought about it on this occasion!
Sleep on it though! See how you feel in the morning Capn.
And have a good evening.
Department store?
LOL. TH See, T and H = 2 Things.
“Well I do read the news but to behonest saying some thing like the BBC being biased on a news article would be strange because they tend to give 2 sides of the story not just one”
??
I rest my case
Let’s not forget this is hardly a story of good Vs evil. The region is majoirty ethnic russian and was in massive poverty. From Russia’s perpespective they were doing the right thing. We have limited independent information but what limited we know the local people were in favour of the occupation.
There is no doubting Russia played loose and fast of the issue, but just posting Russia bad, is over simplying the issue, but nicely fits with western policitics.
Going to war over something like this would not end well, even if the west won without a nuclear war, they would potentially be seen negatively by the people they are liberating.
Maybe We should send a “Light Brigade”.
One more Russian troll is hired what I see
F..cked Russian trolls overcrowded entire Internet.
I hope your bloody hell tschoyhoo will succeed to complete your independent Soviet-net, and will incompatible with rest of the World as it was in f..coed SU.
And you, “ulya” will get what you really deserveS