Showing that peace is a long way off in Ukraine, pro-Russian separatists led by Alexander Zakharchenko announced a plan to declare a new Ukrainian state. When Russian President Vladimir Putin marched the Russian army into Crimea March 1, 2014, the restive Southeastern Donbass region jumped at the opportunity to break off from Kiev. Holding two rounds of peace talks in Minsk, Belarus in 2015 and 2016, Ukraine and Russia agreed to de-escalate tensions in the Donbass region. Zakharchenko refers to Donetsk as the “People Republic,” referring to the pro-Russian area that wants no part of Kiev’s pro-Western government. Led by 51-year-old billionaire chocolate baron Petro Poroshenko since June 7, 2014, Zakharchenko completely rejects the Feb. 22, 2014 fraudulent takeover of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich’s pro-Russian government.
Poroshenko and his Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman have no regard for Zakhcarenko’s rejection of the Kiev government, despite the lawless coup that toppled Yanukovich. Russian President Vladimir Putin has little regard for the current Ukrainian government, making constant demands, with European Union backing, to return Crimea to the Kiev government. Putin watched helplessly Feb. 22, 2014 while hosting the Sochi Winter Olympics as pro-Western protesters led by Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko drove Yanukovich from Kiev. Putin doesn’t recognize Poroshenko’s government because it formed after driving duly elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich from power. Declaring his intent to form Malorossiya or New Russia, to replace Kiev government, Zakharchenko’s plan was condemned by the Kiev government, demanding Moscow follow suit.
Alienating the EU and U.S., Putin must decide what’s more important for Russia: Continuing strict economic sanctions or returning Crimea back to Kiev. While saying that he supports the Minsk protocols, Putin actually backs Zakharchenko in his Peoples Republic of Donetsk and now Malorossiya. Whether accepted by Poroshenko or not, Donetsk and Lugansk both reject Kiev rule, primarily because the Kiev government has done nothing to promote economic development in the region. EU and U.S. officials often blame Putin for his backing of Zakharchenko and pro-Russian separatists in Southeastern Ukraine. When Putin annexed Georgia’s pro-Russian South Ossetia and Abkazia Aug. 12, 2008, the U.S. and EU did nothing. South Ossetia and Abkhazia remain in Russian hands to this day. Getting Putin to return Crimea and back off on Donetsk and Lugansk won’t be easy.
Zakharchenko wants to hold a referendum like Putin did in Crimea to gain approval from voters to create a new Ukrainian state called Malorossiya, the tsarist name for “Little Russia.” Whether admitted to or not, many Ukrainians in the hinterlands pine for the days when the old Soviet Union managed employment, health care and retirement pensions. Poroshenko lacks the resources and organization to offer hope to regions outside Kiev. Poroshenko’s been warned by U.S. and EU officials to clean up corruption and incompetence or face the kind of separatist problems today. Presenting a constitution for the new state, Zakharchenko antagonized Kiev, prompting denunciations from Ukraine Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin. Calling Zakharchenko his “Kremlin puppet masters,” Klimkin vowed to not let a new state happen. France called on Putin to denounce Zakharchenko’s move.
U.S. and EU officials need to understand the utter desperation in Donetsk and Lugansk because of Poroshenko’s lack of reach outside of Kiev. France condemned Zakharchenko’s move, demanding the Kremlin denounce the attempt to break off. “Russia has to intensify its efforts to put an end to this conflict,” said the French Foreign Ministry. They say nothing of what Poroshenko hasn’t done to reach out to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, where pro-Russian separatists have no trust of the Kiev government. Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia remains committed to the Minsk protocols but Kiev must do more deal with its own internal problems. U.S. and EU officials have to stop blaming the Kremlin, when Poroshenko’s does little to win confidence in disenfranchised areas. Blaming Moscow for what happens on Donetsk and Lugansk is unrealistic.
Seeking to join NATO and the European Union, Poroshenko can’t hide behind either group without dealing with widespread corruption and incompetence. Whatever happens with Zakharchenko’s proposal, probably nothing, it underscores the failure of Kiev to reach out to disenfranchised groups. Minsk doesn’t fix what’s wrong with the Kiev government, only talks about discouraging Russia from backing pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Lugansk. If the EU or U.S. wish to be helpful, they’d work with Poroshenko on offering Putin the best possible terms for a long-term lease on its Navy base in Sevastopol in exchange for returning Crimea to Ukraine. Whatever happened Feb. 22, 2014, it’s easily correctable by offering Putin something concrete for returning Crimea. Putin’s paid a high price for invading Crimea, looking to end sanctions and improve international relations.
