Vladimir Putin, Russia’s newly self-proclaimed master strategist, must be having a pretty good chuckle right about now. With the annexation of Crimea a fait-accompli and thousands of Russian military firmly entrenched within its boundaries, there is little that the West can do but espouse a bunch of nice sounding platitudes. So much for diplomacy!
With over a million Canadians of Ukrainian descent, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada is making as much political hay as possible with his recent touch-down-and-jet-off visit to Ukraine. Moreover, Canada has as much influence with the Russians as it does with the Chinese, if not far less. Even though such comparisons may make good press back home, let’s stop comparing Putin to Hitler.
Meanwhile, President Barak Obama can only cautiously back any European response to the Ukrainian situation. As usual, his speeches back home have been very carefully orchestrated. Any talk of further sanctions against Russia is viewed by most as being minimalist, if not farcical. The President is well aware that the G-7, the European Union and NATO are only in a position to take small countervailing measures in response to Russian actions. Military intervention has already been ruled out, and economic sanctions can only go so far.
As for Prime Minister Harper, he needs to lay off the vague threats and rhetoric. As one Canadian journalist wrote, he’s becoming the “butt of Putin’s sick joke”. Even the long-term Russian Ambassador to Canada mused openly as to why Harper was so keen to visit Kyiv at this particular time. Especially since the international community is still trying to grapple with how best to react to Putin’s strategic manoeuvring.
To achieve a long-term solution, the two immediate belligerents have to resolve the current situation themselves. Firstly, the interim Ukrainian government has to get its act together and hold elections to establish a credible and legitimate government. Next, the new government has to urgently sit down with Putin and work out some realistic working arrangements, while ensuring the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the rest of Ukraine. The best that Ukraine can do is recognize that Crimea is now part of Russia and ensure that the remaining Ukrainians in Crimea are protected by Russian authorities.
FROLITICKS 
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