Obama reacted as expected. He “congratulated the people of Ukraine on holding successful parliamentary elections . . .”
He “commend[ed]” its government. The same illegitimate fascist putschist one he installed. He lied claiming its electoral process was “largely in line with international standards.”
Russia bashing Big Lies followed, saying: “it is clear that [its] authorities occupying Crimea and Russian-backed separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine prevented many Ukrainian citizens from exercising their democratic rights to participate in national elections and cast their votes.”
“The United States will not recognize any election held in separatist-held areas that does not comport with Ukrainian law and is not held with the express consent and under the authority of the Ukrainian government.”
Sunday’s “parliamentary vote represents another important milestone in Ukraine’s democratic development.”
“We look forward to the convening of the new parliament and the quick formation of a strong, inclusive government.”
“The United States stands ready to support the choices of the Ukrainian people and Ukraine’s new government as it enacts and implements the reforms necessary to promote further democratic development, strengthen the rule of law, and foster economic stability and growth in Ukraine.”
“The United States also will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as it works toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the east and a return of Crimea, and will stand with its people as they seek to build a more secure, prosperous, and democratic future.”
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso issued a joint statement.
It disgracefully praised Sunday’s sham election. It ludicrously called it “a victory of the people of Ukraine and of democracy.” It called on Kiev to initiate “much needed political and economic reforms.”
Fact check:
Washington ousted Ukraine’s democratically elected president. It elevated fascist putschists to power. They have no legitimacy whatever.
Crimeans and Donbass region Ukrainians reject fascist rule. They want no part of tyranny masquerading as democracy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reacted guardedly. He hopes Ukrainian officials will honor their commitments.
In line with Minsk protocol September 5 and 19 agreed on terms. What hasn’t happened so far.
“We presume that the government will pay attention to its commitments under the Minsk agreements, such as launching a broad nationwide dialogue involving all the regions, political forces of the country to carry out a constitutional reform that has been promised a long time ago but has not still begun,” said Lavrov.
“We wait for the final results. We hope that the election of the new Verkhovna Rada will make it operatively form the government, which will not be aimed at continuing heightening confrontation moods in the society and in Russia but which will be constructive and directed at working with Russia that is indispensable to meet the interests of the Ukrainian people.”
“Particularly, the solution of social and economic problems and the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which in addition to the ceasefire and the disengagement of the parties, the withdrawal of heavy weaponry, envision priority attention to humanitarian problems in Donbass and mobilizing efforts for the restoration of the economy and infrastructure in the south-east.”
“We leave aside the many violations that occurred during the preparations for the elections and the methods of coercion that were applied to a number of candidates and the measures to bar other political forces from the political process and participation in elections. Nevertheless, the voting did take place.”
If not entirely nationwide. With Southeastern Ukrainian regions opting out for good reason. Democracy was nowhere in sight.
.
Fascists want things their way. They reject government of, by and for everyone equitably. Rogue states operate this way.
Ukraine is Europe’s worst. Its most dangerous. A potential East/West confrontation igniting flashpoint.
Lavrov believes Moscow will recognize electoral results. Because “it is very important for us to see Ukraine at last has authorities not involved in internal rifts or tug-of-war, pulling Ukraine to the West or to the East, but busy with the real problems that the country is facing,” he said.
Things able to spill cross-border. Russia shares a 1,500 km land and sea border with Ukraine. Instability affects both countries.
Days earlier Lavrov said: “No one [can] predict how long” Ukrainian crisis conditions will last. “The main task now is to focus on what has been achieved so far, namely the Minsk agreements and their implementation.”
“The process has not been easy: the parties continue to exchange fire, and unfortunately Kiev continues to use heavy weaponry, destroying the economic and social infrastructure in the southeast of Ukraine.”
“It is extremely important to continue to coordinate the disengagement line to ensure a lasting ceasefire.”
“Next, all other provisions of the Minsk agreements should be implemented, including the launch of an inclusive national dialogue on how to live together.”
“Remember that Kiev pledged to enter into dialogue on 17 April, when Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the EU adopted a statement in Geneva on the immediate start of a nationwide dialogue with all regions and political forces.”
“This commitment has not been honoured. In Minsk, the representatives of President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine signed a document affirming the need to initiate dialogue. We’ll see if they follow through.”
Commenting on Crimea, he added: “In truth, the opinion of Western countries on this issue doesn’t interest me, just like their opinion on other aspects of Russia’s internal affairs.”
On October 28, he accused Kiev of war crimes in Southeastern Ukraine. He called what continues “impermissible.”
Thousands killed bear testimony to Kiev’s brutality. Including mass graves with hundreds of bodies discovered in areas government forces control.
On October 28, Putin commented on the 70th anniversary of Russia’s liberation from fascist invaders.
Mindful of how Ukraine’s extremist government threatens regional peace and stability, he said: “In the years of the Great Patriotic War, the power of spirit and unity of our multinational nation, valor and sustaining power of warriors-liberators, guerrillas, resistance movement fighters and workers of the rear was showed in all their grandeur during heavy and bloody battles for Ukraine.”
“Our grandfathers and fathers together, in common ranks, were fighting courageously and selflessly for the freedom and independence of the Motherland, were defeating the enemy and were bringing a long-awaited victory closer.”
“We should preserve carefully remarkable traditions of fraternal friendship and mutual assistance they left.”
“This is extremely important to raise the growing generation with high patriotic values, actively counteract any attempts at reviving fascist ideology, instigation of inter-ethnic strife and falsification of our common history.”
Putin wished “Ukrainian veterans of the Great Patriotic War good health, well-being and strong spirit and peace and prosperity to all fraternal people of Ukraine.”
Italian politician/journalist Giuletto Chiesa believes Ukraine’s new parliament won’t likely change things. It’s stacked with old guard operatives and their relatives.
“Stability is still very far away,” Chiesa said. “Apparently after the elections, the prevailing presence of right-wing parties inside the Verkhovna Rada will be used as a pretext for an offensive” against Donbas region freedom fighters.
He believes Ukrainian politicians intend involving pro-Western forces. “There is Poland and there are the Baltic republics. Apparently, there are people who may be preparing all this.”
Washington most of all. “It engineered crisis . . . to provoke Russia.” It’s a dagger threatening its security. A “big stick,” said Chiesa.
Its aim “has not yet been achieved yet, so it will be moving further one. I have the impression that the US leadership is determined to stop at nothing,” he stressed.
Resolving crisis conditions depends on European “awareness of the danger looming over it . . .”
Because US meddling “would be an operation not just against Russia, but against Europe as well.”
“[T]here will be no stopping the Americans as long as Europe fails to offer a different response.”
Western opinion no longer is unanimous. “[T]angible forces [are] eager to cooperate with Russia.”
Major European companies deplore sanctions. They want one thing. Their governments another.
Ukrainian lustration legislation requires special scrutiny of “persons empowered to perform state or local self-government functions.”
It bans deposed President Viktor Yanukovych allies from politics. It affects all members of his government, law enforcers, civil servants, and local officials, as well as others in power before Soviet Russia’s dissolution.
Namely, Ukraine’s Communist party. Poroshenko abhors it. On October 26, he said:
It “belongs in the past by decision of the Ukrainian people and not by virtue of some regulation.”
“During the presidential campaign, I expressed my strong belief that because of the crimes it committed in the past and present the Communist Party has no right to remain on the political horizon in Ukraine.”
It “must exit to the past not by presidential decree or by decision of the Verkhovna Rada or by a judgment of the court. This must happen after the main judgment on the Communists is delivered by the people of Ukraine.”
Deputy Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Grigoory Karasin expects official confirmation of elections results shortly. Information on them is “quite controversial,” he said.
“But even now it is obvious that the elections have taken place, despite a hard struggle and dirty tricks,” he added.
“he forming balance of forces will probably allow the Ukrainian authorities to deal with some rooted problems in the society.”
Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin called campaigning ahead of Sunday’s election “dirty and cynical.” Results won’t exclude Moscow cooperating with Ukrainian officials.
Russia’s upper house Federal Assembly monitoring commission head Vladimir Dzhabarov said Moscow will try cooperating with Ukraine’s government despite doubts of its legitimacy.
“The southeast has not voted and there were lots of violations,” he said. New Rada members are more radicalized than earlier ones.
“We will attempt to cooperate in any case. We hope that reason would prevail among our new colleagues.” Dzhabarov added.
“We cannot but attempt to build cooperation with the Rada because we have common history and we are neighbors.”
Federation Council Constitutional Law Committee head Andrey Klishas said Russia intends cooperating with Ukrainian officials to end civil war.
Oppose Nazism’s reemergence. And correct intolerable civil and human rights violations.
“Ukrainians themselves cannot fail to notice the mass violations of human rights during the latest parliamentary campaign,” he said.
“These were the ban of free speech, attacks on opposition candidates, mass violence in the form of the so called ‘popular gatherings,’ even lynch mobs on the side of the pro-fascist political forces.”
On Monday, oligarch president Petro Poroshenko’s Bloc and putschist prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s People’s Front began coalition governance talks.
According to Poroshenko spokesman Yuriy Lutsenko: They “just beg[an] between the president and prime minister and a meeting on a broader scale with representatives from both political forces” followed later on Monday.
Both sides want a government formed as soon as possible. Together they lack a majority. They’ll need to enlist a third coalition partner. So far, it’s unclear which one.
Around three million Southeastern Donbas region Ukrainians will hold real democratic elections on Sunday, November 2.
They reject illegitimate fascist rule. They want government of, by and for everyone equitably. They intend getting what they fought and died for.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.” Visit his blog at sjlendman.blogspot.com . Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.
