The crisis, which emerged with the Russian annexation of Crimea within the borders of Ukraine in 2014, is currently facing its harshest days. Despite the military activity on the border and the increased activity of pro-Russian paramilitaries in some areas including Donetsk, the Kremlin says it’s not considering attacking the country.
Kyiv and the West, however, are on high alert as it was Moscow itself that annexed Crimea despite the 1997 treaty in which it recognized Crimea as belonging to Ukraine. Therefore, similar new moves by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who occupied the peninsula by taking advantage of the administrative vacuum in Ukraine, will certainly not surprise anyone.
The U.S. has put its 8,500 soldiers on alert to provide support in case of the activation of the NATO Response Force (NRF), and it is downsizing its diplomatic missions in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, another NATO military buildup in Alexandroupoli (Dedeağaç) on the Turkish-Greek border is also growing day by day. It’s openly rumored that the footsteps of the possible “great war” can be heard.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson openly threatened Putin that “if Russia pursues this path, many Russian mothers’ sons will not be coming home.”
During his visit to Germany, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will speak over the phone with Putin on Friday, saying, “In the event of an attack, the response will be there and the cost (to Russia) will be very high.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said a Russian threat to Ukraine's territorial integrity would bear "serious consequences" for Moscow.
Some may call Putin “enthusiastic,” but it seems that a possible hot conflict and proxy war in Ukraine will be fueled by the West and not the Russian president.
In Germany, it is almost impossible for Scholz to persuade the coalition, including the Greens, to undertake an initiative that will put the country at risk. Macron’s only concern is to gain votes for the upcoming presidential elections, which will be very difficult. He is aware that the Russian-Ukrainian border is not like the Libyan airspace where former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was demonstrating with French warplanes. Therefore, Macron is not an actor that Putin or anyone else would take seriously.
The de facto situation in the U.S., which has the potential to drag Germany and France into a conflict, inevitably alarms people. I know that U.S. President Joe Biden, who of late has lost his cool, even swearing at journalists in front of the cameras, is not in the mood to focus on war. However, the issue is not Biden. I’m talking about the American establishment, which has to keep Biden in the White House, with former President Donald Trump's voter support increasing day by day. Polls show that Biden’s support has dropped to 30%, while Trump's has increased among the Republicans.
In this case, Ukraine looks like the most suitable location for the Biden administration to prolong its shelf life.
May God help the oppressed Ukrainian people who fell in the middle of the imperialist wolves' table. Our hearts are with them.
