John Kerry: Russia has until Monday to reverse course in Ukraine

[JBond]

Bet Putin is scared now.


Secretary of State John Kerry warned of serious repercussions for Russia on Monday if last-ditch talks over the weekend to resolve the crisis in Ukraine failed to persuade Moscow to soften its stance.

Kerry will travel to London for a Friday meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ahead of a Sunday referendum vote in the Crimea region to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation.

The U.S. and Europe on Monday would then unite to impose sanctions on Russia, Kerry told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee Thursday during a hearing on the State Department's budget.

“There will be a response of some kind to the referendum itself,” Kerry said. “If there is no sign [from Russia] of any capacity to respond to this issue ... there will be a very serious series of steps on Monday.”

Kerry responded carefully, saying “we have contingencies – we are talking through various options that may or may not be available.”

“Our hope is not to create hysteria or excessive concern about that at this point in time,” he said. “Our hope is to avoid that, but there's no telling that we can.”

“I've been impressed on how united our European allies are on this… to a person, to a country, they are very, very committed to make sure there is accountability,” he said.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/john-...-to-reverse-course-in-ukraine/article/2545610

 

[Jon88]

Or what?

 

[JBond]

Or what?

Didn't you read it? "there will a response of some kind."

Putin is shaking now. I guess that is why he has amassed a huge force on the border today.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I've got a bad feeling about this.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I've got a bad feeling about this.

As far as the hit to our national reputation goes when Putin decides to ignore this 'warning'?

 

[JBond]

Maybe Clinton should send another reset button. It worked well last time.

Kerry, Lavrov summit fails

Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart were unable to reach an agreement Friday to resolve the Ukraine crisis ahead of this weekend's referendum in Crimea, with rhetoric from Russia heightening concerns about Vladimir Putin's potential play for the disputed peninsula.

The strategic region is set to vote Sunday on whether to join Russia, a decision that could further escalate the stand-off and open the door for Moscow to formally annex Crimea. Kerry, calling that referendum "illegal," met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for five hours in London on Friday in an attempt to "de-escalate" the stand-off.

Kerry, speaking with reporters afterward, said he came in "good faith with constructive ideas" to address the concerns of both Ukraine and Russia. But he said Putin is not backing down.

Kerry said a day earlier that if Russia does not back down, it will face "very serious" consequences by Monday.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ails-to-yield-deal-ahead-illegal-crimea-vote/

 

[Bob Sacamano]

The Russians took down a US drone intact.

What will our response be?

 

[Jon88]

You just made that shit up.

 

[VTA]

The Russians took down a US drone intact.

What will our response be?

Same as when Iran grabbed hold of one: 'Give it back or else...'

 

[Hoofbite]

What's the fuckin deal here? I haven't followed at all but why would the US not recognize the vote?

96% of the voting population (3/4ths counted) are in favor of joining Russia. Sounds like open and closed case.

Democracy, sometimes you don't get what you want. They want to be Russian, fuck 'em.

 

[JBond]

Some Nazi's backed by the US overthrew the elected leadership because the elected leaders wanted to partner with Russia instead of the EU. Russia then invaded Crimea as their response. They have 20,000 troops in Crimea, a strategic port city, with 60,000 more on the border.

Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been making asinine threats during this whole debacle promising serious consequences. Today he announced the serious consequences.

President Obama said Monday that Crimea's vote in favor of joining Russia will not be recognized by the international community, as his administration sanctioned top Russian officials over Sunday's referendum. The White House has announced new sanctions against seven Russian officials in retaliation for Ukraine's Crimea region voting to join Russia, as the European Union announced similar penalties.

While stopping short of singling out Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, President Obama sanctioned several members of Putin's inner circle. The White House also announced sanctions against separatist leaders in Crimea and former president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. "We have fashioned these sanctions to impose costs on named individuals who wield influence in the Russian government and those responsible for the deteriorating situation in Ukraine," the White House said in a statement. "We stand ready to use these authorities in a direct and targeted fashion as events warrant."

The expanded U.S. sanctions, announced in an executive order, would target the assets of the listed Russian officials and bar them from entering the U.S. These include Putin aides Vladislav Surkov and Sergey Glazyev.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ezes-among-possible-sanctions-against-russia/

 

[peplaw06]

What's the fuckin deal here? I haven't followed at all but why would the US not recognize the vote?

96% of the voting population (3/4ths counted) are in favor of joining Russia. Sounds like open and closed case.

Democracy, sometimes you don't get what you want. They want to be Russian, fuck 'em.

It's not really democracy when the army of the country that wants to annex you from your current country is present and visible to the voters as they go to the polls.

 

[Midswat]

Mind your fucking business America Jesus christ

 

[JBond]

It's not really democracy when the army of the country that wants to annex you from your current country is present and visible to the voters as they go to the polls.

Very true. Polls last month showed a 41% support for Russia. It's a little late now. Not sure we should be backing a bunch of crazy fanatics anyway. Obama has played king maker in many countries and none of them have turned out worth a shit.

 

[JBond]

Mind your fucking business America Jesus christ

Foreign entanglements. We were warned many years ago about such follies. The good news is congress sent them a billion of our tax dollars on Friday, so that should help. If the EU wants them so damn bad they should be the ones fighting this mini battle, not us.

 

[jeebus]

Mind your fucking business America Jesus christ

Fuck that. Pax Americana only comes about by the cold war cracking the soviets and bringing everyone into line. This is fucking perfect, let's show china the benifets of the international system and do it on europes dime this time!

Fuck war, but we don't have to let thugs trade in our economic circles. If you want to be rich you have to play by our rules...

Europe is 10 times more exposed to Russian trade, and have much more to fear from Russian irredentism. Now is he time to suck t up and take an economic hit with Europe to help enshrine the peaceful world system led by the US and a in-united Europe.

I don't want war, but Putin re started he great game and we need to win it or way. To establish how it is not going to be played this century. China is watching.

 

[Midswat]

Tlr

 

[JBond]

Obama moves the red line again. Anyone remember Syria?

Russia has agreed to a ceasefire in Crimea until March 21, which gives the Obama administration little time to prevent a war. Can anyone change Putin's calculation in time?

Now that Crimea has “voted,” the Obama administration is ready to start unveiling sanctions against Russian and Crimean leaders who are linked to what the West is calling Russia’s invasion and subversion in Crimea. But with a fragile ceasefire set to expire by Friday, the sanctions are unlikely to work in time to head off a conflict.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/17/obama-has-5-days-to-stop-putin-in-crimea.html

 

[CobraKai]

I don't know why but you can't just vote to leave your country. Otherwise we'd have lost Texas a long time ago.

 

[jeebus]

Tlr

Trade war good. Prevent bad war now. Europe takes most of trade hit. Everyone sees power of us and Europe (us bitch) dollars.