West must launch end to Ukraine turmoil

Source:Global Times Published: 2014-2-20 23:33:01

It seems that Ukraine is now on the threshold of a political hell. The violence in Kiev has seen at least 28 people dead and the opposition and the incumbent government have no way back amid bloody clashes. The European Union is mulling sanctions against Ukraine with measures targeted at the current pro-Russian administration.

The western city of Lviv with a population of more than 2 million declared independence Wednesday out of the blue, indicating an appalling development trend in future for Ukraine. There has long been speculation that Ukraine may suffer a division between the Europe-oriented west and the pro-Russian east, which perhaps means a civil war. However, many analysts believe a disintegration is the worst-case scenario, which is unlikely to happen.

Nevertheless, an incredible death toll of 28 and the sudden independence call from Lviv imply that Ukraine's development is somewhat illogical and unpredictable. With the constitution losing its efficacy, the country is plunged into vehement rivalry.

Public opinion across the international community has always mentioned the geopolitical significance of Ukraine, reminding people of what Zbigniew Brzezinski said nearly 20 years ago, "Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be an empire."

The pro-Russian force has won the election but the opposition party supported by Western powers runs neck and neck and therefore will not make compromises easily, turning the nation into a powder keg. Political intransigence is taking root and history has provided sufficient reasons for it to experience another catastrophe.

Political enthusiasm displayed by Ukrainians since the collapse of the Soviet Union has largely been ignited by certain forces. During the past two decades, Russia has deviated from political entanglements to economic growth and the improvement of people's livelihoods. In contrast, Ukraine sparked the color revolutions 10 years ago, putting the country on a dead-end path because they broke the fundamental principle of resolving controversies with the rule of law to instead carve a new political model of seizing power during elections. Ever since the Orange Revolution in 2004, Ukraine has been bogged down in sporadic turmoil without end.

Decades of turbulence around the world tells us that the general public is easily held hostage by politics and that it is difficult for a society to remain rational all the time.

Forces that incite street politics are not necessarily attempting to overthrow a nation's future because they may be flash-in-the-pan themselves. They could be swindled by external forces while pursuing short-term political interests.

The current scenario in Ukraine can barely be stopped by internal powers because its destiny seems to already be in the control of foreign forces. For the well-being of Ukrainians, we must focus on the efforts to maintain a peaceful and unified country instead of talking about where it will head to in the future.

As a major supporter of Kiev's street politics, the Western world should take responsibility to prevent it from further bleeding.



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