Foreign media digest for July 1, 2014

American and English media understand all the seriousness of the hazards and doubt about Ukraine’s capability to defend itself.
The New York Times: Although Mr. Poroshenko’s announcement suggested a full-scale resumption of the military’s campaign against the rebels, it was unclear whether his order would change much. Since the separatist insurrection began about three months ago, government forces have been unable to contain the rebellion, and there have been hundreds of casualties on each side.
www.nytimes.com
The Guardian:
The end of the ceasefire raises the question of what action the Ukrainian military can take, the article writes. It has been unable to dislodge rebels occupying the city of Slovyansk or to retake control of three key border crossings with Russia. At one point, the rebels shot down a government military transport, killing 49 service members.
www.theguardian.com
The Washington Post:
Some Ukrainians see in the babushkas and dedushkas a symbol of the government’s failure to show how life in an independent nation can be better than “it was under a communist regime that has since fallen,” the edition writes. “The benefits of gravitating to the West can be a hard sell to some who live in the underdeveloped, Russian-speaking eastern half of the country, or who retired after working for the Soviet state and now get a Ukrainian pension that is a fraction of what their counterparts in Russia receive,” the article writes.
www.washingtonpost.com

Ukrainians and army put pressure on Poroshenko.
Financial Times:
President Poroshenko decides to resume the military’s campaign against the separatists under increasing domestic pressure in the country.
www.ft.com
El Mundo:
According to newspaper’s resources, not only “the street” puts pressure on Poroshenko. Some of Ukrainian generals were against prolonging the truce, because the army had suffered a lot and the rebels had used the ceasefire regime to regroup and rearm.
www.elmundo.es

The Poles state EU inactivity and start taking about the inevitability of the compromise with Russia.
Rzeczpospolita:
It is getting obvious that compromise with Russia will be indispensable, as the situation in the Donbas can’t be regulated by using military methods.
www.rp.pl

The Germans admit what separatists need are Ukraine’s territory, not the reforms.
Süddeutsche Zeitung:
Everything else recedes into the background backstage, the newspaper writes. “Talks about language defense, local elections, financial autonomy, early parliamentary elections. Separatists and their protectors are not interested in political reforms, compromise, interests of Ukrainians, whom they would think represent. The main thing is about seizing territories.”
www.sueddeutsche.de
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:
The columnist is sure there are two keys to solve Ukraine’s crisis: “New Kyiv authorities are holding one key, while another is in Putin’s hands. The situation won’t improve a lot if Putin thinks that Russia benefits from Ukraine’s destabilization.”
www.faz.net

Europe’s dividing line: Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has criticized Austrian President Heinz Fischer.
Die Presse:
Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who on his visit to Tallinn, has criticized Austrian President Heinz Fischer for his latest meeting with Vladimir Putin in Vienna, Die Presse informs. “We can’t return to our everyday problems after so many acts of violence have happened,” Ilves says at their mutual press-conference in Tallinn. According to his words, Russia can’t be a strategic partner anymore. “It is impossible to believe in any agreement which was signed after 1945; we are now in a very dangerous situation.” Fischer tries to explain Putin’s visit to Austria. “Austria believes when the tension ratchets up, it is important not to close the communication channel.”
diepresse.com

The Poles are criticizing EU (Austria in particular) since the question of values is not meaningless.
Gazetа Wyborczа:
Europe is not in a hurry to impose sanctions against Russia, as they have negative consequences for EU itself. “When in winter our manufacturing industry is lacking gas, nobody will think about solidarity,” the journalist quotes Austrian minister of industry, who in such a way justify country’s consent to build South Stream gas pipeline.
wyborcza.pl