Here's the perspective of one of the main architects of those super COMMIE! shock-doctrine free market economic policies and buddy of noted revolutionary anti-capitalist Bono, Jeffrey Sachs, writing in known extreme-left publication
Foreign Policy. WARNING: NUANCE:
Jeffrey Sachs | Why the West Should Tread Carefully in Ukraine | Foreign Affairs
Russia has taken actions in Crimea that are illegal under international law. But that is no excuse for bombastic and self-defeating responses from the West that could turn a dangerous situation into a disaster. This is a crisis that can still be resolved sensibly and peacefully. It could even end with a gain for all parties. But that would require not only a restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity but also a recognition of the legitimacy of Russia’s interests and concerns.
Jeff, Ukraine is a sovereign independent nation. Ukraine does not have to recognize Russia's "legitimate interest and concerns" inside the Ukraine any more than the United States has to recognize Russia's "legitimate interest and concerns" inside the United States.
The West calling for Russian troops to return to their bases and respect Ukraine's territorial integrity is not self-defeating or bombastic. Launching an unprovoked invasion of another country is a serious violation of international law and deserves to be condemned with the toughest measures possible.
Any Ukrainian government -- especially one that, like the current interim government, is acting in a caretaker role -- has a pragmatic need to cooperate with its powerful next-door neighbor. Western powers themselves have a responsibility to acknowledge the limited legitimacy and mandate of the current interim government. Western leaders must tell leaders in Kiev the truth -- that Russia is a powerful neighbor, a major trading partner, the source of Ukraine’s energy resources, and a major creditor. The West must emphasize that it is impossible to wish away Russia's inevitable influence in Ukraine.
Jeff, Ukraine needs Russia like a fish needs a bicycle. A neighboring country's power never obligates a smaller country to submit to its influence and desire. After all, take a look at individual countries that have been split down the middle. West Germany did fantastically without East Germany, and South Korea continues to hum without crappy North Korea. So the idea that a separate country like Ukraine does not have the possibility to make it on its own without Russia is pure rubbish. Whatever Ukraine loses from Russia, it can gain back from a world that has much more to offer in resources and trade than Russia could ever dream of.
In pursuing its interests over the past two decades, Russia has viewed the West as an intermittent antagonist and competitor. In the past few years, the European Union’s pursuit of a trade agreement with Ukraine did little to dim Russian suspicions. Such an agreement would tilt Ukraine’s economy toward Europe and away from Russia, resulting in economic costs to Russia in the form of lost trade and investment ties. Moreover, Russia fears that where the European Union treads, NATO is likely to follow. Russia has already watched the spread of NATO into Eastern Europe with great concern. In terms of its historical memory of the many terrible wars it has fought on its Western boundaries, Russia's fears are understandable.
Its called the Free Market Jeff. Russia needs to compete if it wants to keep its trade ties in place. Bullying and invading your neighbor is not a good way to market yourself or secure a greater market share. You can't expect to keep the customer coming back when you beat and rape them. Its in the best interest of that customer to pursue other options.
NATO from its inception has been a defensive alliance that believes in democracy, human rights, and international law. It has never been a threat to Russia or the former Soviet Union. It has only been a threat to Russia and the Soviet Union's capability to illegally invade and take what it wants from Europe through brute military force. NATO has process for expanding and countries seeking to join NATO must meet multiple requirments in terms of democracy, freedom of the press, and stability before they are admitted to NATO. In that sense, NATO membership for countries west of Russia is a good thing because it is a sign that these countries are becoming more democratic, stable and prosperous, which means they are much less likely to be a threat to any country including Russia.
Russia also sees a clear double standard. The European Union and NATO press ever closer to Russia’s borders. Yet as Russia tries to organize a Eurasian Economic Union that would include Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and possibly Armenia, Western critics accuse it of attempting to recreate its empire.
Jeff, NATO and the European Union are not pressuring other countries to join. Countries join these organizations if they decide to. Even then, they are not automatically admitted and must meet many standards and the approval of all NATO and European Union countries before they are allowed to join. That is a huge contrast to what Russia is trying to do with former Soviet Republics.
None of this is any excuse whatsoever for Russia to violate international law by sending armed forces to occupy part of Ukraine. I am not condoning such illegal actions, but rather offering a context and explanation for them. In my view, Russia is not looking to provoke a fight with the West; still less is it out to recreate the Russian empire as some bombastic Western commentators have put it. Russia is acting out of genuine concerns rooted in its history and its perceived national interests, including basic national security. It worries about an antagonistic Ukraine in the grips of anti-Russian sentiments in Kiev, and about the possibility that the West will try to exploit those sentiments.
Jeff, Ukraines attempts for better relations with the West are not a threat to Russia's national security. Nor is the extension of the NATO Alliance eastward a threat to Russia's national security. NATO has not built large new bases in the newly admitted members over the past 15 years, nor has it moved NATO forces stationed in Germany into NATO countries that either border or are much closer to Russia than Germany. NATO Countries like Estonia and Latvia are so small that forces from Russia's Western military district could overrun them in less than a day. Ukraine or a Ukraine apart of NATO has no desire to invade or attack Russia.
The fact is that Ukrainian stability can be attained only with Russian cooperation. That cooperation can be attained only with conciliatory, rather than antagonistic, crisis management on the part of the Western powers. Rather than resorting to aggressive economic and political interventions in Ukraine, the West should be encouraging Russia and Ukraine to pursue long-term and mutually beneficial relations. The European Union and the United States can encourage that win-win perspective not through sanctions but through quiet diplomacy in both Kiev and Moscow. Part of the deal, of course, would be the preservation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Jeff, it is Russia and not the West that has resorted to aggressive economic, political, and now military intervention in the Ukraine. The West responses have been cautious and measured, Russia's have not been. Russia could indeed contribute to better security and stability within Ukraine, but that can never come at the expense of Ukrainian sovereignty and independence. Again, as hard as it was to attain, both West Germany and South Korea were able to obtain a level of security and stability despite being split in half from the other part of the country and constantly threatened by a powerful military alliance (Warsaw Pact in West Germany's case, North Korea in South Korea's case) or neighbor.
Of course, Ukraine’s desperate financial situation is in need of immediate attention. Ukraine’s foreign debt has soared in recent years, and this debt is now being called in. It cannot be repaid suddenly, nor can it be rolled over except via emergency measures. The West may talk bravely about bailing out Ukraine, but this is a fantasy. Despite the bravado of recent days, the West is not really prepared to shoulder the full costs of Ukraine’s restructuring. The United States has promised $1 billion in loan guarantees, but that won't go very far given that Ukraine's current account deficit this year is estimated at around $13.5 billion. And if Ukraine were to break irrevocably with Russia, the costs would soar further -- absolutely beyond any price tag the West would consider. On the other hand, with the restoration of reasonable relations between Russia and Ukraine, Russia would likely be prepared to work together with Ukraine and the European Union to help finance Ukraine’s economic restructuring.
Jeff, its true that Ukraine has massive economic problems. But its grossly inaccurate to suggest that Russia is some how an equal in being able to help the Ukraine to the EU/United States. Russia's annual GDP is about $2 Trillion, while the combined EU/United States GDP is north of $32 Trillion. While geography and intertwine economies can make new splits difficult and costly, its far from impossible as Korea and Germany proved.
All of this argues for closer economic relations between Ukraine and the European Union, but only if they don’t come at Russia’s expense. The European Union’s goal should not be to peel Ukraine away from Russia, or to torpedo Russia’s own economic networks with its neighbor, but rather to enlarge the economic links among the European Union, Russia, Ukraine, and the other countries of Eurasia. This broader cooperation would also bolster the European Union by expanding markets for European products and technologies.
That would be great and can certainly happen, but if Russia does not cooperate and Ukraine chooses to dump Russia and fully link with the West, then it can indeed do that. The choice is Ukraine's. Ukraine must be allowed to decide what is best for its future, something that Russia has been trying to stop for years now. Its not impossible for the Ukraine to survive without Russia. Saying so grossly overstates Russia's economic strength.