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Originally Posted by Osem
Backing away wouldn't be necessary if the EU weren't hell bent on expanding in all directions for reasons which are beyond me. More members of the club is simply adding to the complexity of the whole things and introducing more variables into the equation.
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All the EU have done so far is agreed a free trade deal. This is apparently the will of the majority of the population of the Ukraine who don't want to be in the clutches of Russia nor a pawn in a second-coming of the Eastern bloc.
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Given its history we'd be wise not to encroach too far towards Russia's borders because sooner of later they will react and that reaction could well lead to armed conflict. Yes I know you tend not to believe such things could happen in Europe but there's nothing more dangerous that an enemy which feels cornered and perceives its integrity is under threat.
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I don't believe it can't happen in Europe. I think it's unlikely. However the answer is not appeasement to ever more aggressive Russian expansion. They will not stop if we cede them the Ukraine.
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The EU has enough fish to fry and if you feel it's OK for it to carry on courting former Soviet states at which point do you feel, if at all, that has to stop?
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The right to self-determination should be paramount. These aren't Russia's countries, they belong to the people of those countries and they, not Russia nor the EU, should choose who governs them and what agreements they enter into. If they want to enter a free-trade agreement with the EU then more power to them.
Frankly I don't see any benefit in enlarging the EU right now or in the foreseeable future, even less so if it risks falling foul of the likes of Russia who've proved themselves to be unpredictable in the past. Like it or not Russia is a very powerful country and we shouldn't be playing call my bluff with them.
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You used the terms cowardice and appeasement and I feel that's rather simplistic and in fact a dangerous view. I'd call it reality and it's the very same reality that prevents us from pushing China around when we don't like what they're up to or intervening in many of the larger disputes around the globe in which peoples are striving for freedom of choice.
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Sometimes you can't do anything. Sometimes you can push back. We do push back against China where we can, we put pressure on them to help us reign in North Korea, we put pressure on them not to infringe on the rights of Taiwan. Now we're pushing back against Russia by supporting the people of that country in upholding their right to choose who governs them and not abandoning them to the Kremlin.