The Ukraine

[Ticker45]

Basically Ukraine is not part of Europe as far as I see it and that is where the problem lies. If Ukraine were to ally themselves to the EU, then a possible move to become part of NATO would be on the cards and that is definitely not in Putin's and his military cohorts interest. Hence the Russian sabre rattling which hopefully will go no further than that but not convinced that there will be no further bloodshed.

 

[pauld]

Basically Ukraine is not part of Europe as far as I see it

Well it's not part of Asia is it?

[Reg Smeeton]

Well it's not part of Asia is it?

I think in 1854, when we fought the Russians at Sevastopol, Inkerman and Balaclava, we thought it was a European War.  Back then we had Lord Palmerston and Lord Tennyson now we've got William Hague...

Half a league, half a league,
  Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death,
  Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred

[pauld]

I think in 1854, when we fought the Russians at Sevastopol, Inkerman and Balaclava, we thought it was a European War

Modern Russia straddles the two continents, but Ukraine is quite clearly in Europe

[Abrahammer]

It borders only European countries and, relatively speaking, isn't really that close to Asia

[Reg Smeeton]

 If Kazakhstan can be drawn against Iceland in a 2016 Euro qualifier, then Ukraine is safely inside Europe..

[pauld]

If Kazakhstan can be drawn against in a 2016 Euro qualifier, then Ukraine is safely inside Europe..

I think using FIFA's quirks as a guide to modern geo-political boundaries may be a slightly sub-optimal way of going about things. Although I guess Alex Salmond and Plaid Cymru would like it, not sure the Spanish would, or the Independent People's Republic of Gibraltar, come to that.

[Reg Smeeton]

I think using FIFA's quirks as a guide to modern geo-political boundaries may be a slightly sub-optimal way of going about things. Although I guess Alex Salmond and Plaid Cymru would like it, not sure the Spanish would, or the Independent People's Republic of Gibraltar, come to that.

I'm not sure ....football is a pretty good way of getting a rule of thumb view of world politics....as for Gib they've clearly improved as they only lost 4-1 to the Faeroes... much better than when I saw us put 8 on them in a pre-season friendly in 69.

The separatist tendencies of the Basque Country and Catalonia....are diluted by the fact that it's football teams are successful and a source of regional pride. Is it any coincidence then that the Sweaties wanting to break away has coincided with the demise of their fitba...?

[pauld]

I'm not sure ....football is a pretty good way of getting a rule of thumb view of world politics....as for Gib they've clearly improved as they only lost 4-1 to the Faeroes... much better than when I saw us put 8 on them in a pre-season friendly in 69.

You might well be on to something here Reg. A one-off Russia v Ukraine international (un)friendly to decide the future of Crimea would probably be about as likely to lead to a decent solution as the current debacle, and with significantly less bloodshed (so long as it was played behind closed doors)

[Gnasher]

I nearly caused a diplomatic situation in our house by asking my (Russian) wife to cook chicken kiev tonight.

[pauld]

Did she not feel like Chicken Tonight^TM?

[Reg Smeeton]

You might well be on to something here Reg. A one-off Russia v Ukraine international (un)friendly to decide the future of Crimea would probably be about as likely to lead to a decent solution as the current debacle, and with significantly less bloodshed (so long as it was played behind closed doors)

Could be a warm up for Klitschko v Putin match up

[Reg Smeeton]

I nearly caused a diplomatic situation in our house by asking my (Russian) wife to cook chicken kiev tonight.

With a ta(r)tar sauce?

[Gnasher]

Did she not feel like Chicken Tonight^TM?

 

[Gnasher]

With a ta(r)tar sauce?

  Very good. But actually she prefers tsar tsar sauce!