Ukraine and Russia : Win some, lose more | The Economist
▻http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21618840-all-celebrations-kiev-over-ratifying-trade-deal-europe-it-russia
But that does not make defeat any less real. After six months of fighting, Ukraine has lost at least 3,000 men and control over a swathe of territory in the east, as well as being forced by Russia to delay the full implementation of its association agreement with the European Union.
Après le constat de la « victoire » russe, l’Economist pose quelques « vraies » questions :
On the same day the Rada ratified the association agreement, it passed a law granting special status to the part of the Donbas controlled by Russian-backed separatists, including the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. The law gives these territories broad autonomy for three years, guarantees Russian-language rights and self-governance, and allows them to establish deeper ties with Russia—although it does not give the region a say in foreign or defence policy. Another law offers an amnesty to rebel fighters. Mr Poroshenko’s aides say this was the only way to save lives, but it poses uncomfortable questions. “What did our boys die for? Why did we not hold peace talks back in May?” asked Sergei Taruta, the Kiev-appointed governor of the Donetsk region.
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Both Mr Putin and Mr Poroshenko have reasons to want a truce: Mr Putin to avoid more sanctions and questions from relatives of dead soldiers, and Mr Poroshenko ahead of a parliamentary election on October 26th. But this does not mean the end of Ukraine’s troubles and Russia’s adventurism. The Kremlin’s goal is not just to control two cities in eastern Ukraine, but to stop all of Ukraine from moving westward. Further violence in the east is possible as rebels try to capture more territory.
The biggest danger, however, is that the fragile truce will be followed by the usual political wrangling in Kiev and renewed Ukraine fatigue in the West. The only way Ukraine can realise its European aspirations is over many years, by building an economically and politically coherent state. That will take patience, money and time from the West and perseverance from Ukraine. But not to try would mean the ultimate defeat and betrayal of those who died for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
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Le plus grand danger ? les querelles politiciennes à Kiev…
Quant à une politique économique cohérente, l’article cite plus haut les urgences qui n’ont pas été mises en œuvre par le gouvernement provisoire sous prétexte du conflit oriental :
but it is unclear why the government could not have begun to remove wasteful energy subsidies, deregulate the economy or curb corruption.
Mesures éminemment propres, surtout la première, à obtenir un soutien massif de la population…
