U.S. 'Suspends' Role in Russia G8 Summit After Obama, Putin Speak

[steve2470]

Source: NBC News

The U.S. is preparing to pull out of the next summit of industrialized nations — scheduled in Russia — in protest of Russian military moves in Ukraine, the White House said Saturday after President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke directly by phone.

As tension in Ukraine threatened to boil over, Obama told Putin in the 90-minute call that he was deeply concerned over Russia's "clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity," the White House said in a statement, adding that the president warned Putin that Russia's "standing in the international community" was at stake.

The statement said the U.S. was suspending "upcoming participation in preparatory meetings" for the G-8 summit scheduled for June in Sochi, Russia.

"Going forward, Russia's continued violation of international law will lead to greater political and economic isolation," it promised.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/u-s-suspends-role-russia-g8-summit-after-obama-putin-n42116

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/03/01/readout-president-obama-s-call-president-putin

Official link above

[BlueCaliDem]

1. This is what you get when you put a right-wing fascist at the helm of power: fascism & dictatorship.

We know that all too well with the astroturf, billionaire-backed rise of the Republitarians a.k.a. Teabaggers.

[dipsydoodle]

2. By then Crimea will have had its referendum - now due 30th March.

Wouldn't say there'd be much doubt about the outcome and there is nothing to indicate Russia has any interests elsewhere in the Ukraine although other parts of the Ukraine may themselves decide other wise in terms of splitting the country in two - the west has vested interests in trading with the EU and the east with Russia.

Maybe economic isolation from the US but not necessarily others.

[freshwest]

3. Self-determination would solve this. After seeing that brute slapping around an employee

in the prosecutor's office in Kiev, no doubt some ethnic Russians will want to move east anyway. No love lost there.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Aside from which

to quote Obama directly "The people of Ukraine have the right to determine their own future."

The fact he may like the outcome is a different matter.

[freshwest]

6. I think he believes in the principle above what the USA may get one way or the other.

To me, it's all about respect. Which Shrub and many others in this country fail to recognize.

[pampango]

9. Interesting concept: letting people vote on which country they want to be citizens of.

If applied equitably around the world it could produce some interesting results.

It would certainly put the people's aspirations above national sovereignty and territorial integrity. (I used to think that Putin was a big believer in national sovereignty and territorial integrity.)

Given the location of many national borders relative to the ethnicity of the people inside those borders, we could see some big changes in national boundaries if the "Crimean referendum plan" were applied globally.

[dipsydoodle]

10. Really only works in a confined area.

There were a lot of seriously pissed off Slovakians when the majority voted to split from Czechoslovakia.

btw there may be a difference between what Crimea is doing and what other parts of Ukraine decide to do. Crimea could decide to actually become part of Russia again as it once was or become a small state like Luxembourg.

[pampango]

14. And if the referendum effectively changes the nationality of Crimeans

that will be a defeat for national sovereignty and territorial integrity and a victory for people.

It would be a great precedent for people in many other places who feel estranged from their countrymen and perhaps feel a kinship for people on the other side of a line on a map. The counter argument that they are not in a "confined area" may not be persuasive.

[JackRiddler]

13. What about all the minority-majority areas?

Okay, so Missouri secedes as a White Christian Republic. Does St. Louis get to secede from that? What about the neighborhoods that want to elsewhere.

This is not the way.

[Igel]

21. Doesn't get the approved outcome.

Not allowed.

Same for the Tatars. Those that the Russians ethnically cleansed in an attempt at genocide. They'll again be part and parcel with Russia, even though they oppose it.

You draw the borders to ensure the right majority. It's called "gerrymandering."

[arewenotdemo]

42. It's probably inevitable that this (and future) Administrations will covertly provide

the Tatars with the "non-lethal" aid they need to attack the Crimean "regime".

[PFunk]

19. I think a split may be the only peaceful way to end this.

And head off a new cold war-or worse.

[Igel]

20. Which will not include Sevastopol.

All the Putin-defending (or Russia-defending, not that there's a big difference) notwithstanding, at some point part of Crimea that is not autonomous will either have to have an illegal uprising--the kind that Putin claims gives him rights in all of Ukraine--or Russia will have to violate an international treaty and invade part of Ukraine.

Odds are such trivia will be ignored because they're irritating and don't fit the necessary story.

[Purveyor]

5. OH, OH!!! That'll leave a mark...NOT!

[Cha]

15. What's so fucking funny?

[Purveyor]

16. That some how the 'west' pulling out of the G8 is a big fucking deal, that is

what is so funny.

Russia doesn't need a fucking thing from the west...nothing!

[Cha]

17. Who said it was a big fucking deal.. President Obama is taking a stand

against Putin invading the Ukraine.

"But Obama responded that the appropriate way to address those issues is peacefully "through direct engagement with the government of Ukraine," the U.N. Security Council or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the White House said."

Nothing hilarious about it, imo.

[MADem]

25. Well, it is a big fucking deal and the only one behaving in a "funny" fashion is you on this thread.

Russia doesn't need a fucking thing from the west...really?

Pootie will have to adjust his taste in ties, suits and shoes, for starters...

[840high]

26. He can get all from Italy.

[MADem]

29. "Italy" is the west. nt

[amandabeech]

27. Pootie needs customers for his gas and oil.

If I were in the EU, I'd be looking to conserve gas and oil and look elsewhere for supplies.

No one wants to be dependent on someone who doesn't give a flying f about anyone or anything and generally acts like a thug.

No one. Not even the Chinese want to be dependent on someone like that for crucial supplies.

So while Pootie probably feels like a big man right now, he may not feel that way in a few years, because fewer customers will want to give such an unreliable supplier much of their business.

[MADem]

31. Fair point. Not doing business w/him wouldn't help his situation. nt

[cosmicone]

7. Sour grapes after the CIA backed coup backfired n/t

[dipsydoodle]

12. It has been alluded to elsewhere

that this is actually the US response to the Syria issue which if true reflects Russia's attitude to the Libya issue re. the bent UN resolution.

[Cha]

18. No, it's not.. it's a stand against Putin invading the Ukraine.

"But Obama responded that the appropriate way to address those issues is peacefully "through direct engagement with the government of Ukraine," the U.N. Security Council or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the White House said."

[cosmicone]

23. Therein lies the fallacy...

WHICH government of Ukraine? The democratically elected Yanukovytch or the CIA installed Yahtsenyuk is supposed to be involved in "direct engagement?"

[Cha]

33. No fallacy.. but, by all means Proceed with your conspiracy

theory with your little Hillary Avatar.

[cosmicone]

34. What is "little Hillary Avatar" supposed to mean?

Is it now offensive to support Hillary on DU?

[Cha]

35. No not at all, I'm sure she'll make a great President when and if the time comes. Right now though..

[pampango]

8. The first of many nonviolent, diplomatic responses to violence. As it should be. n/t

[Wet Willie]

11. We do not have a legal leg to stand on

Last edited Sat Mar 1, 2014, 08:41 PM - Edit history (1)

So, if Russia has been invited in by Crimea Gov officials, as well as the democratically elected leader of the Ukraine, how is this an "invasion" or violation of Ukraine's "Territorial integrity"?

Because some armed thugs in Kiev who violently overthrew the democratically elected government says so?

Hmmm... I wonder how we would respond if a tea-party-ish gang of thugs violently overthrew the democratically elected government in Canada... would we support the thugs or the democratically elected head of state?

[Igel]

22. Consider Assad and al-Sisi.

If Morsi invites the IDF to invade, that's okay?

How about the way that Russia is defending the elected government of Syria?

Somehow I don't think many of those broad-brushing the Maidan folk and defending the Berkut and Yanukovich are really being consistent. It's hard to see what the principle is, either. It's not defending popular votes. It's not defending citizens against oppression. It's not just being anti-US/CIA/Obama or pro-SovPutin and his Russland Allein.

There are a few principles at play, and some are fairly retrograde while others aren't obviously so.

In some cases, gunning down people is public service. In other cases, merely rescinding rights with no obvious consequences is evil most foul.

[cosmicone]

24. Yunukovytch was not trying to change the country

to observe Sharia law like Morsi and Yanukovytch was not killing minorities like coptic christians like Morsi.

Plain and simple distinction.

[amandabeech]

28. We, the EU and the Russians have guaranteed the territorial integrity of Ukraine in a

1994 treaty. Russia has violated that integrity by actions that exceed what is allowed in connection with the lease of the military bases in Crimea. Russia has violated the treaty.

No party guaranteed that there would never be an irregular change of presidents or governments.

If Canada had a presidential system of government, which it does not, I assume that we would be worried if any irregular change in president occurred. We might beef up our border crossings or put some troops on alert. After that, we'd take a wait and see attitude. We might make plans to evacuate Americans if fighting broke out. We'd also be in serious consultations with the British, who I assume would be extremely anxious. However, I don't think that we would be threatening to roll the tanks into Ottawa unless we were attacked.

Putin, with the Russian language media, has hopped up a lot of Russian citizens and ethnic Russians in Ukraine because he wants to re-create the Soviet Union and he can't do that without a lot of Ukraine coming home to mother Russia. He cannot get over the fact that over twenty years have passed since the Cold War came to an end and fourteen years after the 20th century came to an end. The rest of us have said good riddance to both of them and moved on. It's time for him and his friends to do the same.

[amandabeech]

32. You may see an invite, but I don't.

You seem to be very pleased that a country at peace with its neighbors--one that had not fired a shot at its neighbors--has been invaded.

Yes, they're having internal problems, but I have seen no reports that one bullet has crossed their frontier and no reports that even one bullet has been fired into any of the Crimean bases that the Russians have leased.

The type of invite that you seem to see is the type that 20th century dictators always seemed to receive just before they started WWI and WWII.

I'm not cheering for the start of another hellish European civil war, and for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone here at DU with any sense of history is happy.

That is all.

[amandabeech]

37. Ha!

Sorry, I didn't see your low post count.

How's the weather in Moscow?

B-bye.

[MADem]

39. She's got YOUR number, tovarich. nt

[1000words]

40. Well, I guess it's more than a strongly worded letter.

Not by much.

[Wolf Frankula]

41. And He Was Right to Do So

The United States is no longer an industrialized nation. Our economy is based on the export of agricultural products, natural resources, and selling each other pieces of paper. That sound like industry to you?

Wolf