Ukraine & NATO

[stepanstas]

nikolai,

I have no idea where your point is leading.

When I said that I think Ukraine should force people to speak Ukrainian, that was clearly my own opinion and its common sence that it will never happen.

One think that can happen is making sure that all teachers teach only in Ukrainian, but thats another story.

Anyway, still trying to find your point here, you also mentioned that "people in Ukraine are such rabid ethnic nationalists that they are willing to destroy their own country in order to promote their own ethnic group at the expense of others."

I don't understand what that means. At the expense of others?

You know, call me crazy, but to me who I am and what I am is more important then protecting others from I dont even know what cause you make no sence.

Basically, I would rather have a nation that I can be proud of, see plenty of Ukrainian flags, hear Ukrainian, talk Ukrainian then to hear different languages, different flags, and you get the point.

As a point, i do not have anything against tourists, i am talking about the people who settle in and live their.

NIKOLAI, WITH YOUR NEXT REPLY SAY SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENCE AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF, DON'T TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT I AM SAYING. I CAN DO THAT FOR MYSELF.

[Max_the_Highlander]

Well Nikolai, you sound like an old gramophone.

There are few real worthy objections against NATO joining. The out-bloc status has its advantages. The people's support is low. The reaction of Russia is unpredictable. Ukrainians don't wish to participate any military conflicts initiated by US or Britain. That's true.

However most of what you do talk is caused by mere paranoia.

Russia was good partner for years however the borders now are too narrow. Putin's imperialistic Russia is not democratic Russia of Eltsin. We can't join Russia in their growing imperialism. This is road to noway.

NATO stands for democracy... Russia-China alliance... what does it stand for?

[stepanstas]

Thanks Max

(I hope I didn't scare away Nikolai, I hope I wasn't too harsh.)

[Kathy]

Originally Posted by JamesL

Galicians welcomed Nazi invaders in September 1939. I have no doubt that eastern Ukraine will welcome Russian Guards Divisions with flowers if Vlad decides to cross the border. America and NATO should not be involved with that when it happens.

To restate: Ukraine should NOT become a member of NATO.

You know, when the Germans took over NKVD headquarters in Lviv, they found 7,000 bodies of tortured victims in the basement. So yes, someUkrainians welcomed Germans, because Germans forced out the Soviets. It is akin to how Iraqis welcomed Americans on the initial invasion of Iraq.

We can see, in both cases, how long the welcome lasted.

[Kathy]

Originally Posted by nikolai

Unlike any other eastern european country, millions of citizens of Ukraine are ethnic Russians. And millions more have mixed Ukrainian/Russian ethnic heritage. Many of these people have relatives in Russia. And their loyalties are divided when it comes to disputes between Russia and the West.

Why do you assume this is unlike other East European countries? There are Ukrainians in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. There are Czechs in Slovakia and vice versa. There are significant ethnic minorities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, much larger, in fact, than in Ukraine, yet they are all NATO member nations.

[bm-21Lemko]

when is Ukraine going to be offered to be looked at to join the EU?

[stepanstas]

Kathy,

Nice point.