In Ukraine, the fear that trump will leave them at the mercy of Moscow – Politico
Ukrainian Democrats desperately need American leadership, but they are afraid that trump will leave them at the mercy of Moscow.
This writes Mike Quigley in the article “What I saw in Kiev”, published in the online edition of Politico.
The last time I visited Kiev in April 2014, when the city still felt an incredible energy. For many months, the Independence square (Euromaidan, as dubbed it the Ukrainians, who sought to wrest Ukraine from Russian influence) was occupied by protesters and the police. The excitement caught the town at the height of the Ukrainian winter. When I was in Kyiv, the Euromaidan was still filled with a variety of Ukrainians, they demanded a more transparent government, a more democratic society and closer integration with Europe and the West.
Major protests have declined by February, when under sniper fire tragically killed 100 protesters. However, the protests ended with the victory of the Ukrainian people. By the time when our delegation arrived to assess the situation, former-President Viktor Yanukovych has fled to Russia and Ukraine held the first days of the organization of the new government. As an American I will say, it was very inspiring. As a member of Congress, I note, it was necessary. Now I again came to Kyiv, this time as a member of the intelligence Committee of the house of representatives, and I understand that US support for Ukraine is now more important than ever before.
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After the revolution, became known as the Revolution of Dignity, it became clear that the Yanukovych regime was not acting alone when violently attacked its citizens, emerged to protest. The Russian government also provided support – financial and other – to spread disinformation, sow confusion and suppress the protests.
In the following months and years the ambition of the leader of the Kremlin of Vladimir Putin in Ukraine became even more sinister. Russian troops invaded the Eastern regions of Ukraine continue to occupy the Crimea and waging war in the Donbass (in Ukraine that is closest to Russia). The policy of President Barack Obama regarding the Ukraine and Russia helped to keep the imperfect and the fragile ceasefire. But after his successor, Donald trump took office, the fighting in the town, an industrial city near the Russian border, has been intensified to levels that were not for a long time. This is a test of strength for the new administration. And trump can’t cope.