EU officials see risk of Ukraine becoming Russia's next target

28/08/2008

Several EU officials voiced concern Wednesday that Russia could be considering further military actions against other former Soviet republics, particularly Ukraine.

(AP, Reuters, AFP, BBC, Guardian, Independent - 28/08/08; AFP, AP, DPA, BBC, FT, VOA - 27/08/08; RFE/RL - 24/08/08)

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has travelled to Ukraine to discuss what he termed "a coalition against Russian aggression". [Getty Images]

Russia's recent invasion of Georgia and declarations that it fears nothing, including a new Cold War, have fuelled concerns that Moscow could be planning similar actions against other former Soviet republics.

"It is very dangerous ... there are other objectives that one can suppose are objectives for Russia, in particular the Crimea, Ukraine and Moldova," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday (August 27th).

His remarks came a day after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed decrees recognising the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which the West blasted as a violation of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ignoring calls from numerous international organisations and officials, Russia has also failed to fulfil a key condition of the August 12th cease-fire, namely, to withdraw all its troops from Georgia proper. This and Medvedev's statement on Tuesday that Russia is "not afraid of anything, including the prospect of a new Cold War" raised the stakes in the Caucasus crisis.

Moscow strongly opposes Georgia and Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration bids. Some believe that -- having dealt with Georgia -- it could now have its sights set on Ukraine, whose Crimean peninsula still hosts Russia's Black Sea fleet. Numerous ethnic Russians, the majority ethnic group on the peninsula, have reportedly received Russian passports in recent years. Moscow believes this move confers citizenship and entitles recipients to military protection if needed.

"Ukraine could be the next target of political pressure by Russia," the AFP quoted EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn as saying in a speech Wednesday. He urged the EU to send a clear political signal to Ukraine that it can join the Union once it has met the criteria for membership.

Rehn also remarked "Russia also cannot stand the idea that NATO would expand to its southern neighbours, so it purposely created tension in the region."

Kiev received reassurances on its prospects to join the 26-nation Alliance during a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on Wednesday.

The Alliance's ambassadors "reiterated the decision, taken by NATO Heads of State and government at the Bucharest Summit, regarding Georgia's and Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations", according to a statement issued after the meeting.

NATO leaders will consider whether to offer a Membership Action Plan to each of the two countries at their next summit in December.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband voiced support for Ukraine's NATO aspirations during a visit to Kiev on Wednesday.

"We have not forgotten our commitments to you," the British daily Guardian quoted him as saying.

He urged Russia to avoid starting a new Cold War, saying it would feel eventual "economic and political losses".