As Russian military action escalates in the Ukraine, the weakness of American influence is being highlighted on the world’s stage. The White House reported this weekend that Russia is “in an occupation position in Crimea,” a Ukrainian peninsula reportedly being bombarded with more than 6,000 air and naval forces.
Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to visit Kiev this week to meet with Ukraine’s current leaders.
While American leaders offer rhetorical support for Ukrainian opposition forces, China has recently emerged as a Russian ally in the takeover.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, announced Monday that he and Wang Li, who holds an equivalent position in China, discussed the ongoing occupation of Crimea, describing “broadly coinciding points of view” regarding the issue.
In addition to America and Canada, several European nations issued a statement indicating they “condemn the Russian Federation’s clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
William Hague, Britain’s foreign secretary, is already in Kiev and called the current action this century’s biggest European crisis.
“It’s impossible to be optimistic at the moment,” he asserted. “We’re not in any position to be optimistic about the security situation and what is happening in the Crimea.”
Russia, which has military capabilities that best the Ukraine in virtually all respects, is now further emboldened by its alignment with China. The Russian parliament authorized President Vladimir Putin to use force in the region Saturday, leading to an operation that took place as millions of Americans were watching the Oscar awards Sunday evening.
It remains to be seen what, if any, support China might offer in Russia’s action. Likewise, America has yet to offer any firm response to the ongoing dispute.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk remains defiant, however, insisting the nation will “never give up Crimea to anyone” and imploring Russian occupiers to leave the area.
Still, an alliance between China and Russia in any military operation is cause for concern around the world. As Trevor Loudon, a political activist and author from New Zealand, reported in the recent Western Conservative Conference, both nations have hinted at both the capability and desire to potentially engage in military action against the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration is determined to continue shrinking American armed forces and driving up our national debt, making our potential retaliation to such threats woefully inadequate.
–B. Christopher Agee
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