'We are Demonstrating Firmness by Sending Planes'

BARTOSZ T. WIELIŃSKI: What is Washington’s reaction to the results of the Crimea referendum?

LEE FEINSTEIN [former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, currently German Marshall Fund Analyst]: We regard the referendum as completely illegal. This dangerous event may produce undesirable effects. What is going to happen has already been obvious for the last few days. The United States and the European Union share the same opinion on the Crimean crisis. Those who intended to drive a wedge between us were obviously wrong.

The meeting at the White House between President Barack Obama and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenij Jaceniuk does show where we stand on this matter. There is no doubt that sanctions against Russia will now have to be expanded. Moscow will probably be excluded from international financial institutions, which will lead to diplomatic isolation as a consequence.

BW: According to the news coming from Brussels, the old EU does not wish to punish Russia too severely.

LF: It is important for us to work well as a team. The United States imposed sanctions against Russia before the EU did (Russians responsible for the Crimean crisis will no longer be able to obtain visas to the United States). This might happen again. The actions we are going to take have to be consistent. We have the same attitude toward the actions in Ukraine. I keep in mind the words of the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, who did claim that Russia would never get away with intervening in the affairs of its neighbor.

The crisis could be resolved in a diplomatic way; nevertheless, we are only able to urge Russia to begin any negotiations through severe sanctions and the indomitability of transatlantic union.

BW: Russian President Vladimir Putin may not be bothered with these sanctions whatsoever.

LF: We will see how long we will have to wait for the annexation of the Crimea by Russia. We are very concerned about the provocations in the East. On the one hand, there is Russian army activity; on the other hand, Russians are playing the old game, which is sending people to spread violence and inventing some excuse to intervene. And the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, says that he has no intention of invading eastern Ukraine.

Therefore, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is flying to Poland on Tuesday in order to demonstrate American solidarity. We have sent 12 additional F-16 planes to Poland to demonstrate our consistency and firmness.

BW: Several planes and American warships in the Black Sea are not enough to impress Russia.

LF: Sending the armed forces is only a small part of the extensive operation. It is not about scaring Russia, but reminding it that NATO works perfectly and Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is valid, so as to support Ukrainians in deciding for themselves on their own country.

In this way, we are showing that we keep a close watch on Europe. It is not true that this land does not mean anything to the United States. Diplomats are the ones who should solve Crimean conflict; however, there is no doubt that it is going to take a lot of time until this happens.