Telegraph, UK - It was a day of bluster and speeches but also paralysis over how to bring the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine to an end. On one side, hawks in Washington favour supplying “advanced weapons” to Ukraine’s government in Kiev. On the other, cautious European leaders warned it is easier to provoke Vladimir Putin than to scare him.
“I am firmly convinced this conflict cannot be solved with military means,” said Angela Merkel, the German chancellor at the Munich Security Conference.
Mrs Merkel, who is the only major Western leader to have a working relationship with Mr Putin, said a flow of American arms to Ukraine would not intimidate the Russian leader.
“I cannot imagine any situation in which improved equipment for the Ukrainian army leads to President Putin being so impressed that he believes he will lose militarily,” she said. “I have to put it that bluntly.” Related Articles
She added that force had not proved to be the solution in the past when dealing with Russia. “I grew up in East Germany, I have seen the Wall,” she said. “The Americans did not intervene in the Wall, but in the end we won.”
1 comment:
America's Germany problem is that Merkel is subjected to democratic pressures within her country. Nuclear annhialation does not win elections. For McCain, failing to close an arms deal does not please his party. If someone comes up the loser, better it be McCain.
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