By
Crew members are seen aboard a Russian submarine during celebrations of Navy Day in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, July 26, 2015.
Russia’s (click here) newest nuclear-powered submarine, the Alexander Nevsky, arrived in the far eastern Kamchatka region Wednesday, carrying Bulava nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, the Russian state news service Tass reported. The submarine, now a part of Moscow's nuclear deterrent, arrives at its new port during a time of rapid Russian military modernization and renewed rivalry with the United States and NATO.
The submarine, which is in the new Borei-class, made the journey from the Northern Fleet to the port of Vilyuchinsk in the farthest reaches of the country. It will join the Pacific Fleet, where its primary job will be to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence patrols in the Pacific Ocean, according to Tass....
Urkaine's recovery after the peace treaty of Minsk II is going forward. The IMF has granted Ukraine funding past any default of debt with Russia. Russia needs to work with Ukraine to structure it's debt repayment. Ukraine is still recovering from a large deficit with Russia and that recovery has to go forward in order for Ukraine to pay Russia. So, the best way forward for Russia is to work with Ukraine leadership for debt repayment. Russia should end the chronic issue of debt default with Ukraine.
Oct 30, 2015
Russian Finance Minister AntonSiluanov (click here) said on Friday that Russia was worried that reforms to the International Monetary Fund's lending rules were being forced through in the context of the "very politicised" question of Ukraine's debt restructuring.
Siluanov also told journalists that Ukraine had refused to consider any alternatives apart from equating Ukraine's debt to Russia with debt before private creditors.
The IMF is expected to soon discuss reforms to lending rules that may allow continued support for Ukraine if it misses payments on a $3 billion debt to Russia, while keeping up pressure on the countries to break the impasse. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly and Darya Korsunskaya; Writing Alexander Winning; Editing by Maria Kiselyova)
The IMF's interest is securing the solvency of Ukraine's government. The IMF never acts in political ways, that is not it's mission.
To state the IMF is attempting to restructure the government of Ukraine is not accurate. Ukraine restructured its government to return to the 2004 Constitution since the unrest first broke out. The restructuring of Ukraine's government began long before the IMF came into view.
Russia needs to realize Ukraine is a peaceful country and wants peace with it's neighbors. There is no animosity on the international level with Ukraine. It wants to be a trading partner with Russia as well as The West.
There is a recent example of that outreach by Ukraine.
October 29, 2015
Visiting Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (click here) and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov have vowed to boost bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including energy ties.
After talks in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, on October 29, Poroshenko called Turkmen-Ukrainian relations "historic and strategic" and expressed his confidence that ties between the two former Soviet countries will continue to develop.
Poroshenko added that he expects Berdymukhammedov to come to Kyiv on an official visit in the first half of 2016.
Berdymukhammedov said his country "is ready to boost energy deliveries" to Ukraine, also stressing the importance of developing Kyiv-Ashgabat cooperation in the energy and transportation sectors.
Turkmenistan owns the world's fourth-biggest reserves of natural gas.
Ukraine has faced problems with natural-gas deliveries from Russia amid a souring of relations over the Kremlin's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and the ongoing conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian armed forces in eastern Ukraine.
Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax
While Ukraine's focus on The West while seeking debt relief through the IMF may be of concern to Russia, there is nothing to say Ukraine was seeking to abandon any friendly relationship with every country in the region. This trip by President Petro Poroshenko should prove to Russia that Ukraine is interested in peace and prosperity with all countries that want to extent an interest in trade. There is no threat to Russia by Ukraine.
There never was a threat from Ukraine of Russia even during the early days of the unrest. The rebels have nothing to fear. Ukraine is not interested in removing it's history nor does it have a desire to limit it's future.
I realize the military build up at Ukraine's border by Russia is to reassure the rebels to bring about a sincere peace, there should be a recognition that Ukraine will be obligated to all it's citizens to prove equally it has a responsibility to have a strong defense at that border. Russia needs to consider reducing it's presence along the Ukraine border and perhaps in matching demilitarization by Ukraine.
Russia should realize it's substantial presence along Ukraine is making NATO nervous. Russia needs to demilitarize Ukraine's border. It will serve as a reassurance to the peace process both the rebels and Russia was a part. There is a need for reassurance and deescalation of tensions. I think Russia knows this and needs to begin to plot it's actions accordingly.
