Ukraine sets Election Date

BBC - Snap election called in Ukraine

Ukraine's political turmoil continues, with matters worsening between the PM and the president. As far as I can gather, the whole thing's seems to be very much a clash of ambitions. But it's certainly not what Ukraine needs right now with all the hassle with Russia, something picked up on by the president.

I could further discuss just how inportant it is to keep on an eye on the region in these intweresting times. But it's really just an excuse to look up the PM: Yulia Tymoshenko.


Ye can keep Palin.

Snap election. That sounds good.

905 wrote:

BBC - Snap election called in Ukraine

Ukraine's political turmoil continues, with matters worsening between the PM and the president. As far as I can gather, the whole thing's seems to be very much a clash of ambitions. But it's certainly not what Ukraine needs right now with all the hassle with Russia, something picked up on by the president.

I could further discuss just how inportant it is to keep on an eye on the region in these intweresting times. But it's really just an excuse to look up the PM: Yulia Tymoshenko.


Ye can keep Palin.

Indeed. Yulia also has quite a bit of grey matter between the ears, a commodity evidently absent in Palin.

she should sack the stylist, unless traditional central european dress is to your taste.

she is easy on the eye tho.

and supposidly a capable leader.

but easy on the eye.

Since we are in danger of losing Iceland and the North Atlantic to Russian control, perhaps a bit of sanity will return to Europe and we will start to look east in a more considered manner. Time for improved relations and less deference for the USA's aspirations.

Yulia Tymoshenko has the sense to recognise the rising importance of Russia and avoided condemnation of Russia over Georgia. I wish more European politicians would come to similar deductions.

Squire wrote:

Since we are in danger of losing Iceland and the North Atlantic to Russian control, perhaps a bit of sanity will return to Europe and we will start to look east in a more considered manner. Time for improved relations and less deference for the USA's aspirations.

Yulia Tymoshenko has the sense to recognise the rising importance of Russia and avoided condemnation of Russia over Georgia. I wish more European politicians would come to similar deductions.

Are you mad? We pander enough to them as it is. Tymoshenko is in power precisely because of the Orange Revolution and the decision to stand up to Russian interference. Attempts to present her as sympathetic to Russia come mainly from her rivals. In 2007 she wrote a very critical piece on Russia for Foreign Policy. Russia used to have an arrest warrent out for her.

I think she is both critical of Russia but realistic in her appreciation of the geopolitical reality. In many ways we in the EU failed the Ukraine and the Orange Revolution and she like many others have to take note and adopt. I don't think that there is any doubt where her sympathies lie.

I think sympathies and geopolitical realities are two different things. I certainly don't know where her sympathies lie, I would presume with the West.

The Ukraine is next on Russia's list of awkward countries that should know their place. This hasn't just arisn as an issue with the Georgian war, this has been the case for years. And Tymoshenko has come out on the Western side more often than not.

I can see where you're going with geopolityical realities and what she should or might do. But I can't see where she's actually doing it. I don't think a passive attitude to the Georgia war is enough to prove a major policy shift.

I think she has to tread a very careful path. In the long run this movement away from the the black and white, them and us, may serve us all better in the decades ahead as it may well reduce tension. Russia has resources which we need, we have production capacity that Russia needs. The tension arises out of mistrust.

The biggest problem I see with Russia is the extremely strong criminal class but that is a separate issue.

The criminal element is actually quite relevant to the Ukrainian sphere. I think her husband was charged on fraud and she has quite a few dodgy contacts herself. Then again it would be hard to keep clean and retain any influence over there.