Putin is going to France to reassure EU leaders about Ukraine’s federalization.
Le Monde:
The historian Françoise Thom is sure that the main goal of Putin’s journey to France is finally to collect his political prizes from the situation with Ukraine. He tries to separate the West, to dive the wedge between the USA and Europe and to force Europeans to press on Ukrainian authorities to federalize Ukraine. The only way out is a united western position on Ukraine, the author sums up. She reminds that during Soviet times each country was chaired by Politburo, every thought has its counterpart. Now only one person decides and elite need to conceal their concern. The article concludes that not everybody likes Putin’s policy, but the West needs to show the example of fearlessness.
www.lemonde.fr
Moscow agents of influence. Dmytro Firtash is lobbying Ukraine’s “neutrality”, elective governors and European values.
Die Welt:
“The country must be strong, independent and neutral,” Firtash is sure “We have two types of politicians, those who want us to join Russian and those who want us to join Europe. Personally, I see lack of the Ukrainian point of view,” he points out with sadness. At the same time Firtash makes no doubt that “Ukraine needs European values. We do not want to live like Russians. We need to seize the opportunities which Europe has, with visa-free access, maximum integration with Europe, because we are a European country.” Firtash has a dual impression about the Association Agreement with EU: “It was a good signal. We still need to think a lot, whether Europe needs us. Ukraine could be a bridge between Europe and Russia.” If he were a president, Firtash would visit the eastern part of Ukraine, talk to people and give them their own government, but only if Ukraine remains united. “We need to find an answer together with Russia, otherwise this battle has no end. The fist step could strengthen our position. I am for Ukraine’s decentralization,” he says. “People must have an opportunity to choose mayors and governors to solve those problems which are specific for every region. He disagrees with organisers of referendums in Luhansk and Donetsk only in one thing – the country should be united.”
www.welt.de
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier – presidential elections do not mean that the crisis have been resolved.
Frankfurter Allgemeine:
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier talks about the Ukrainian crisis in the context of relations between Russia and the West in Frankfurter Allgemeine interview. “The fact that Petro Poroshenko receives the majority of votes almost in all parts of Ukraine is historical,” Steinmeier points out. “It is a powerful signal of Ukrain’s unity. This elections is a partly open door in which we need to squeeze to talk about Ukraine’s chances of political and economic stabilization.”
www.faz.net
Western Media write about Russian’s gunmen in Ukraine.
Die Presse:
The United States warns Kremlin no to intervene in the affairs of Ukraine by sending thousands of armed people from Russia into the eastern regions. US defence secretary also told Viene newspaper that Russia continued to destabilize the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine by supporting separatists.
diepresse.com
Rzeczpospolita writes about thousands of Russian contractors who could easily enter the Ukrainian border and join pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Luhansk and other cities of Donbass region. The newspaper gives the real facts about FSB officers’ participation in the eastern part of Ukraine.
www.rp.pl
The Wall Street Journal has published a material about the tense situation in the eastern part of Ukraine and about the feelings of local citizens, who tell journalists that they live here like during the war. The newspaper is quoting Volodymyr Panchenko, 56, the local farmer, who blames Russians for their intervention in Ukraine.
online.wsj.com
Western media criticise Poroshenko for unwillingness to sell his Channel 5 media and praise spot parliamentary elections.
Times:
Ukraine’s New Leader clings to his TV Channel. “If Mr. Poroshenko intends to sell his assets, in my view, his TV station should be the first to go,” says Dunja Mijatovic, the top official for media freedom at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Taras Berezovets, a political consultant in Kiev, says there has never been a President in Ukraine’s history who directly owned a major media outlet, let alone one of the country’s most popular TV channels. “But this is his favorite toy,” Berezovets says. “And if he ever does agree to sell it—which I doubt—it will be the last thing he ever sells.”
online.wsj.com
Economist:
Poroshenko has made several statements, which could be only welcomed. He expresses the willingness to deal with separatists if they refuse to use armed forces. Despite his pro-Western position, Poroshenko promises build a new relationship with Russia. “Poroshenko is also planning to held a parliamentary elections. It will be the other step forward, because Verkhovna Rada does not represent anyone other than the oligarchs who buy seats in it,” British edition writes.
www.economist.com
Forbes:
In less than a week, the newly elected President of Ukraine will take office. It’s worth looking at the example of former President Saakashvili in Georgia, because in many ways Ukraine’s potential pitfalls parallel the Georgian experience. All this while running a country under invasion from a neighbor. It sounds impossible, but it isn’t if Moscow can be held in check by Ukraine’s allies in the West, something they didn’t do for Georgia. This time, surely, the West will step up to the plate. History, even recent history, has taught us what happens if we don’t.
www.forbes.com
George Soros offers free political risk insurance to those who invest in Ukraine’s economy. He thinks that by saving Ukraine Europe would also save itself.
The Guardian
Last weekend’s European parliament election shows that Russia is emerging as a dangerous rival to the EU, one that has global geopolitical ambitions and is willing to use force. The first task is to counteract Russia’s efforts to destabilise Ukraine. “The single most effective measure would be to offer free political risk insurance to those who invest in or do business with Ukraine,” financier proposes.
www.theguardian.com
