Biden pledges support for Ukraine as east edges closer to union with Russia

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Guardian

he US vice-president, Joe Biden, has thrown US support – and funds – behind Ukraine's interim government as anti-Kiev militia in the country's east edged a step closer towards secession from Kiev and joining Russia.

A "people's assembly" in Luhansk, where heavily armed militia have been occupying the security service headquarters for more than two weeks announced on Tuesday morning that they would hold a two-stage referendum on the region's future.

The armed men remain in the regional government buildings they have occupied for several weeks despite a peace deal struck in Geneva that called on pro-Russian rebels to turn in their weapons and vacate the buildings they had seized in nine cities.

Russian and western leaders have accused each other of not fulfilling their end of the bargain following a shootout in eastern Ukraine that left at least three dead this weekend.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/22/biden-ukraine-support-east-union-russia

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Biden: US providing technical assistance to Ukraine worth $20 million.

The United States is providing technical assistance worth $20 million to help Ukraine address the security challenges it faces, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden has said.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/biden-us-providing-technical-assistance-to-ukraine-worth-20-million-344614.html


U.S. Offers $50M In Aid Package to Ukraine :

April 22 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. announced today it’s offering a $50 million aid package to Ukraine as it pursues political and economic changes to stabilize its government. Adam Johnson reports on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg Surveillance.” (Source: Bloomberg)

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/u-s-offers-50m-in-aid-package-to-ukraine-uTbGetdDRTCCdGnB5gLRAw.html/

Elsewhere on Bloomberg there is a report that Ukraine will be spending 35% of all revenues on debt servicing alone.

[jakeXT]

1. McCain already lamenting and talking nonsense

After watching clips of Biden’s speech, McCain responded: “Well, when he said it’s time to act and not have rhetoric, why don’t we act? Why don’t we sanction some more people? Why don’t we say that we’ve got a plan to give them energy independence? Why don’t we give them defensive weapons so they can defend themselves?”

The Arizona Republican did say that the additional $50 million in aid to Ukraine offered by the Obama administration is “helpful,” but said the Ukrainians “have had their country dismembered. Crimea is gone.”

McCain also echoed other Republicans who have accused Obama of weakness on foreign policy. On Putin, McCain said, “We are begging him to come around and negotiate and talk and all that, and he just moves steadily on. And it is disgraceful and the rhetoric does not match the action.”

Continuing his critique of Obama, McCain concluded: “This president does not believe in American exceptionalism, America’s role of leading the world.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/john-mccain-joe-biden-russia-ukraine-105889.html

[BadtotheboneBob]

2. Yank Pakistan's stipend (a couple billion yearly)...

... and use it to help Ukraine. A much wiser investment, I believe. As 'Uncle Joe' said we'd stand with them, we damn'd well better stand by our words. And that includes our NATO allies. Tsar Vlad is one serious autocrat hell-bent on reviving his vision of another imperial Rodina. Sure he has his hand on the gas valve, so Europe needs to find a way to counter that. Notice I wrote "Europe"... it's not just our problem to deal with. Russian oligarchs stash a lot of money in London and elsewhere in the west. They own a lot of property, too. I see a big 'lever' there...

[dipsydoodle]

3. Given that the amount foreseen to get Ukraine through 10 years or so

is c. $220 billion - a couple of billion a year wouldn't achieve much.

They're already in the position that roughly 35% of their budget this year will go on debt servicing and repayment.