Not without Washington

Published in Neues Deutschland
(Germany) on 18 August 2014
by Klaus Joachim Herrmann (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Sean Thacker. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
Klaus Joachim Herrmann on the foreign ministers’ meeting on Ukraine.

The second crucial participant in the Ukraine crisis was not expected at the foreign ministers’ meeting in Berlin. Washington is staying out of it because it would rather arm itself from a distance against Russia. No decision will be made on the issue without the guidance of U.S. leaders, or CIA and other advisers. President Poroshenko often phones his boss Obama overseas, Obama’s vice president, or even the secretary of state many times a day. Even the disgusting show of bureaucracy regarding the Russian aid convoy required conversation.

The conflict, in which large cities in the middle of Europe are being bombarded by an army armed with rockets and artillery and citizens are being driven out by the hundreds of thousands, is at its core geostrategic. The U.S. and NATO want to move forward in the post-Soviet world, and Russia wants to prevent that exact thing from happening. Both sides are avoiding a direct confrontation. But the situation is becoming similar to how things once were in Vietnam: Forces are being mobilized, armed and sent into the fire.

In the meantime, Europe is helplessly dithering and trying to avert any further damage. European leaders will not be able to do that without considering their own interests and putting pressure on both intensely quarreling superpowers; without the direct participation of Moscow and Washington in negotiations, there is no peace.


Nicht ohne Washington

Klaus Joachim Herrmann über das Treffen der Außenminister zur Ukraine

Der zweite entscheidende Mitwirkende an der ukrainischen Krise war zum Treffen der Außenminister in Berlin nicht vorgesehen. Washington hält sich raus, macht lieber aus der Ferne gegen Russland scharf. Dabei fällt in Kiew ohne Vorgabe der US-Spitzen oder CIA- und sonstiger Berater keine Entscheidung von Belang. Nicht selten mehrmals täglich telefoniert Präsident Poroschenko mit seinem Chef Obama in Übersee, dessen Vize oder wenigstens dem Außenminister. Selbst die widerliche Bürokratieshow um den russischen Hilfskonvoi bedurfte der Rücksprache.

Der Konflikt, bei dem mitten in Europa Großstädte von der Armee mit Raketen und Artillerie beschossen, Einwohner zu Hunderttausenden vertrieben werden, ist im Kern geostrategisch. USA und NATO wollen in nachsowjetischen Raum vorrücken, Russland will genau dies verhindern. Beide meiden die direkte Konfrontation. Doch es werden wie einst in Vietnam Stellvertreter eingesetzt, gerüstet und ins Feuer geschickt.

Dazwischen eiert Europa hilflos herum und versucht, wenigstens noch von sich selbst Schaden irgendwie abzuwenden. Das wird ohne Besinnung auf die eigenen Interessen und ohne Druck auf die beiden erbittert streitenden Großmächte nicht gelingen. Denn ohne die direkte Beteiligung von Moskau und Washington an Verhandlungen gibt es keinen Frieden.
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