Since the Minsk II Agreement went into effect earlier this month, there have been many claims and counter-claims that both the Kiev government and the separatists in east Ukraine have violated the terms of the agreement. Both sides accuse each other, and the Kiev side accuses Russia of yet another invasion of Ukraine which Russia denies.
As difficult as it has been to prove many of these claims and denials, a potentially serious violation of the agreement may be taking place. Though the US and the UK governments were not actual signers of the Minsk Agreements, both have endorsed the Agreement and have strenuously demanded that the terms be observed in the fullest. Both have de facto become parties to the agreement by their insistence that the terms be upheld.
And both are blatantly breaking the agreements along with the government in Kiev.
Point 10 of the Minsk II Agreement clearly mandates:
10. Withdrawal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, as well as mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under monitoring of the OSCE. Disarmament of all illegal groups.
Yet today we read the announcement that the Washington is sending US troops to Ukraine ostensibly to provide combat medical training to the Kiev forces.
And today we read the surprise announcement that the UK government is sending its armed forces into Ukraine to provide training — including war-fighting training — to the Kiev government. As an added dose of chutzpah, British Prime Minister David Cameron, as he was breaking the Minsk Agreement, warned Russian president Putin against breaking the Agreement, claiming that Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine was “deeply damaging” and that Putin had “opted-out” of the rules-based international system.
Should these foreign forces wander into the territory of Ukraine under the OSCE’s monitoring mandate, they would be in direct violation of the Agreement. However, just the presence of foreign military forces assisting the war-fighting capabilities of one side in the conflict is a violation of the spirit of the ceasefire agreement and is definitely an escalation of the conflict.
The US and UK demand that everyone else observe the Minsk Agreement, yet somehow they and their proxies in Kiev are exempt.
I am on Twitter.
6:04 pm on February 24, 2015
