Kyiv, September 4th, 2014
– Ukrainians are defending their country themselves, but they want and must have greater support, because what is happening in Ukraine is about far more than Ukraine, it is about the principles of international order which has brought peace to the world since 1945. This was declared by John McCain, the U.S. Senator for Arizona during a briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre.
“Now it is clear that what Vladimir Putin is doing in Ukraine is an invasion into a sovereign country. And if Europe, America and civilized world don’t react adequately, we will give him “green light”. The next urgent step required – severe sector sanctions rather than individual people or institutions and agreement for providing the defensive weapons, intelligence and other assistance to Ukraine to stop Putin’s invasion.” – underlined Senator McCain.
John McCain said it had been argued for months that providing arms and greater assistance to Ukraine could provoke Russia’s invasion.
“But now Ukraine is being invaded anyway showing that real provocation for Putin has been the perception of Western weakness. What should be clear that Putin’s appetite only grows with the eating and he will keep taking more until he faces consequence he is unwilling to incur,” – he stated.
Senator McCain is certain that Putin won’t stop if the world lets him make a land-bridge to the Crimea and will continue his pressure on Moldova and Baltic States.
“If Putin can invade a sovereign country for no other reason than greed and imperial ambitions, what is there to stop others from doing so? If that principle doesn’t apply in Ukraine, why it should work anywhere else? Just as invasion is an invasion, the world either has rules or doesn’t. It is organized around principles of justice or it is not. Power alone should not be the license to a press. And our principles are counted little if they are not backed by the power,” – said John McCain.
Mr. McCain is convinced that the USA should have reacted according to Budapest memorandum long ago. “Now it will be difficult to convince other nations to give up nuclear weapon in exchange of guarantees, because it is clear that the Budapest memorandum which guaranteed the integrity of Ukraine including the Crimea has been totally violated,” – explained the Senator.
“Putin wants to restore the Old Russian Empire and cannot stand free democratic prospects in Ukraine, because sooner or later the people of Russia would want to have that kind of lifestyle as well,” – said Mr. McCain.
Senator expressed his support for Ukraine and readiness to urge the US government and the whole world to help Ukraine to defend its sovereignity and territorial integrity.
