The US Needs to Pressure Putin In Order to Stop the Military Pacification of Ukraine

In light of the deaths of several dozens of people, the injuring of hundreds and the heroic fight of the Euromaidan defenders, the worst course of action any observer could take is that of armchair speculation and splitting hairs over who belongs to the powers that be and who to the opposition; or saying that the opposition hasn’t acted decisively over what is their responsibility or that they need to rein in their more radical elements.

It’s these sorts of opinions that many experts and a few Polish politicians have been giving voice to. They are the words of people living in comfort in a country which is part of the EU, who have forgotten that they had given birth to the “Solidarity” movement; and that for the freedom they enjoy today, many dozens had to give their lives while thousands sat in prisons.

It’s good, therefore, that in his appearance before the parliament, Prime Minister Donald Tusk blamed Viktor Yanukovych for escalating the conflict, all the while being backed up by Jarosław Kaczyński. It’s also good that, given the scale of the tragedy in Ukraine, Polish political leaders have been able to go beyond petty politics. It’s important also that the PO Party has delegated a representative in the form of Miron Sycz, who himself represents the Ukrainian minority in Poland.

The only error for the Ukrainian opposition was that it was always ready for talks and agreements, and it was this readiness to reach for a political and peaceful answer to the crisis which Viktor Yanukovych used for his own gain during his attempts to pacify the Maidan. That was during the night of December 10 and 11, when Catherine Ashton, the EU chief diplomat, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland were in Kiev. Both announced plans to reach an agreement, and Yanukovych was meant to agree to it. But he opted instead to go for a show of his own power and to arm himself for talks, he began his attempt at pacification. It didn’t work—much like several of yesterday’s attempts.

In the west, the opposition has taken over, and those protesting have broken into police, criminal justice and security service headquarters. Mass protests continue in the middle of the country, with slightly weaker ones in the south and east. People are mobilizing into Kiev to bolster the ranks of its defenders. Ukraine, it seems, is teetering on the edge of a bloody civil war.

The blame for bloodshed in Kiev is placed squarely on Yanukovych. Sooner or later, he’s going to answer for his crimes, which were perpetrated by those loyal to him. More blood, however, might still be shed because the authorities have decided not to agree to a ceasefire, which was offered to them by the opposition during the night.

Today, paratroopers are being flown into Kiev. According to official channels, they are being deployed to defend ammunition dumps and buildings belonging to the army. The opposition is voicing alarm, saying that an order has been passed down to use the army to storm the Maidan—despite the act not having any legal basis, given that martial law was never declared in Ukraine.

Now in the throes of fear and panic, Yanukovych won’t budge for anything. He’s burned all of the bridges which could have helped him to reach an agreement with his own populace. He’s a marionette in Putin’s hands, who agreed on what actions to take during the night. The Ukrainian minister of defense was until quite recently a citizen of Russia, while Russian authorities have said that they are going to use their “influence to its fullest extent” in order to support Ukrainian authorities in pacifying the “Brown Revolution.”

The U.S. must put pressure on Putin to stop the use of armed forces to pacify the Maidan and those protesting in the entire country. He needs to be warned that he should not use the current situation in order to split Ukraine. Only Washington has the tools to bring Putin back to sanity.