Keep Ukraine together

In our corner of the world, the Ukrainian situation is the key issue. A very complex issue, indeed. And complex matters do require patience to be sorted out. They also require a clear understanding of the magnitude of the problem. At this stage, the information available does not allow me to fully grasp if we are facing just a few groups of activists or are we confronted with a mass movement. The impression I get is that this is still the work of rather small but pretty well coordinated –by whom, one should also ask – groups. That´s why it makes sense to suggest, as Kiev did today, that autonomy referenda could be organised in the regions. That seems to be a way forward.

It is also important to rapidly allow the government in Kiev to show some early wins. The West, if they take this matter as seriously as they say, has to help the new authorities to get some very visible results soonest.

It is also important to add that one the consequences of a potential partition of the country would be to have the Western part that would result from such a partition to join NATO soonest. That possibility should be used to encourage Russia to keep Ukraine together, even if as a federation of autonomous regions. It is either national unity or partition with NATO expanding beyond the Polish border.