I agree to an extent. There are problems with this, however. The status quo is rotten, and it is particularly rotten for the Ukrainian-speaking West, as most of the industry is in the East. There is a great deal of grinding poverty in Ukraine. If I were Ukrainian, I'd be asking why the country cannot look both ways - trade with the EU and Russia.
The Problem is historicaly the russians treated the baltics and ukraine badly hence war memorials being toppled etc glorification of the SS they might have been bastards but they werent russian bastards liberation really doesnt work if you hang about for 50 years making the place unitdy and generally out staying your welcome
And again, it's not a simple as that. Latvia, in particular, underwent extensive industrialisation during its Soviet era. Russians moved there to work in the new factories. It is their grandchildren who are now being marginalised. And Latvia wasn't quite a downtrodden region - it enjoyed a higher standard of living than most of the Soviet Union.The Problem is historicaly the russians treated the baltics and ukraine badly hence war memorials being toppled etc glorification of the SS they might have been bastards but they werent russian bastards liberation really doesnt work if you hang about for 50 years making the place unitdy and generally out staying your welcome
Plus putain considers a trade deal one way you do what I say or else.
Merkil is a bit more subtle
The EU doesnt want Ukraine as a full member anytime soon it cant compete or be propped up
Yes. And now it is their turn to mistreat a minority that has nowhere else to go. They become refugees in the only country they have ever lived in.Trouble was the latvians had no say in the russians moving in or any say in joining the soviet union so not
Just 1200000 people sent to the gulag
Invaded by the soviets twice latvian banned as a language and russia still saying what they did was legit so can't imagine why they might have a problem with russians
What are you talking about, the Russian areas of Ukraine were historically part of Russia. Invasion if you can invade somewhere by standing-still while some dictator scribbles lines on maps I suppose.
Explain then the widespread nostalgia for the soviet state across much of south and east ukraine?
Re the SS still a lot of anti semetic feeling left in eastern europe I guess 50 years of communism makes anything but communism start to look good
Plus the failure of the current goverments to work gets people seeking alternatives communism/ socalism being rather fataly flawed as an idea bit like the islamists in the middle east facism seems an attractive answer.
I agree unfortunatly not sure how things could improve Russia isnt seen as a good neighbour by anyone unfortunatly
Russian speakers and rose tinted view of the past
I agree unfortunatly not sure how things could improve Russia isnt seen as a good neighbour by anyone unfortunatly
Russian speakers and rose tinted view of the past
Not sure how much of a shit Putin gives about the Baltic states' Russian-speaking minorities. But things can improve without any kind of rapprochement with Russia. It has far more to do with the way that, for instance, Latvians see and define themselves. All they have to do is to accept that everyone born within their borders is Latvian, that there is such a thing as a Russian-speaking Latvian, and that such people deserve dignity and rights within a wider Latvian-speaking society. At the moment, they do none of these things, deny citizenship to more than 10 per cent of their own population and impose Latvian-language tests at all levels of society. But they can do all this without even looking at Russia.I agree unfortunatly not sure how things could improve Russia isnt seen as a good neighbour by anyone unfortunatly
