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Rep. Mike Quigley, along with fellow Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski, declined to attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017.

During a trip to Ukraine this week alongside members of the intelligence community, Rep. Mike Quigley expressed concern over President Donald Trumps failure to react to Russian overreach and aggression.

It seems striking that President Trump, for some reasons still unknown, remains unwilling to stand up to Russian aggression, at home or abroad, he added.

Quigley, who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, faulted Russias continued advancements into sovereign land in Georgia and Ukraine. The Chicago Democrat said President Barack Obamas policy toward Russia and Ukraine helped to maintain a fragile ceasefire which has eroded since Trump took office last month.

The fighting in Avidiivka, an industrial city near the Russian border, has intensified to levels not seen in years, testing the mettle of the new administration, Quigley wrote. So far, Trump is failing the test."

Quigley claimed Trump hasnt put forward a cohesive foreign policy on either Ukraine or Russia."

News out of Washington comes at a frenzied pace from the resignation of national security adviser Michael Flynn, to reports of contact between Trump campaign aides and Russian intelligence, all while evidence of Russian interference in the presidential election continues to mount.

In January, The U.S. Intelligence community confirmed that a covert Russian operation worked to undermine the presidential election and aid Trumps candidacy by hacking the Democratic National Committee and members of Hillary Clintons campaign. Obamas sanctions were handed down as a response.

Flynn allegedly misled Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with the ambassador regarding the sanctions. According to the White House, Trump was aware that Flynn misled Pence about the conversations with the Russian ambassador, but waited nearly three weeks before ousting the retired Army Lieutenant General. Last month, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he would be open to lifting Russian sanctions, but plans to keep them for "at least a period of time."

Three people who were affiliated with Trumps presidential campaign Carter Page, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone are currently being investigated by the FBI and the intelligence community for their communications with the Russian government, according to the New York Times.

Whatever its knowledge of the election hacks, it makes absolutely no sense for the Trump administration to remove the only leverage we have, when Russia has only become more emboldened since Nov. 8, Quigley wrote.

For decades, Quigley said, Russia has been employing Soviet-style tactics to maintain power and influence in the region and beyond.

Disseminating fake news, spreading propaganda, infiltrating foreign governments with spies and sympathizers, blackmail, extortion and interfering in elections are all part of the same playbook, he wrote.

Quigley faulted Trump for echoing Russian President Vladimir Putins stance on NATOs role. In an interview published last month by Germanys Bild newspaper and the Times of London, Trump called NATO obsolete and said the European Union is basically a vehicle for Germany. In addition, he lauded the United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union.

My own feelings couldnt be more different, Quigly wrote.

Despite Trumps insistence, NATO has been the most effective deterrent preventing further Russian advances and has maintained the post-war world order for over 70 years, he added. Once, Georgia and Ukraine were hopeful that they might someday join the transatlantic alliance. Today, the notion sounds fanciful, but it doesnt mean the U.S. should abandon these countries to Moscows baleful influence."

Vice President Mike Pence told members of NATO and the EU Monday that Trump supports the international partnerships despite previous criticisms, according to NBC News. He also urged NATO members to increase defense spending, echoing a previous call made by Trump.

Maintaining multilateral sanctions in lockstep with the EU is crucial for Ukraines survival as a Western-friendly democracy, and for Americas credibility in the world, Quigley wrote. And if President Trump remains unwilling to maintain a tough line on Russia, Congress must accept the responsibility to stand up to Putin.

Quigley told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that sanctions must be preserved until Russia restores Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, including Crimea.

On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Trumps personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, delivered Flynn with a peace plan for Russia and Ukraine a week before his resignation. The plan would require Russian troops to withdraw from Eastern Ukraine and allow Ukrainian voters to decide whether Crimea would be leased to Russia for a period of 50 or 100 years.

Andrii V. Artemenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker who helped devise the plan, told the Times that he has evidence showing corruption by Poroshenko, noting that he received encouragement for the proposal from top Putin aides. Its unclear whether the Trump administration will seriously consider the proposal, which was also put together by Felix H. Slater, who helped the president scout business deals in Russia.

Nevertheless, Quigley backed the Ukrainian president in his op-ed.

President Poroshenko continues the hard work of democracy building stabilizing the economy, rooting out corruption, building a free press and reforming the judiciary, all while fighting the prolonged war in the East, Quigley wrote. In a meeting with him this week, it became abundantly clear that U.S. assistance in facilitating the implementation of these reforms remains vital."

Despite sometimes insurmountable obstacles, Durbin urged Ukrainians to stay the course on the long road to democracy.

And the U.S. and Europe must continue to walk with them."

Published at 5:56 PM CST on Feb 24, 2017

See the rest here:
Quigley Slams Trump's Response to Russia During Ukraine Trip - NBC Chicago (blog)

Russian writer Zakhar Prilepin gives a press conference to present his new book Platoon. Officers and rebels of Russian Literature in Moscow on February 21, 2017.
Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP

One of Russias best known novelists, Zakhar Prilepin, has sparked a bitter row among top writers by revealing he is now fighting with pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

Prilepin is acclaimed for novels drawing on his experiences of serving with Russian forces in Chechnya and as a member of a banned radical nationalist group, and has won some of Russias top literary awards.

The shaven-headed writer has been a frequent visitor to the rebel east Ukraine since the start of the conflict in April 2014, acting as a consultant to Donetsk rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko.

I think a writer has a right to any position, Prilepin said at a midweek Moscow news conference.

He can stand with a flag saying peace to the world or he can take up arms.

Deserves hatred For Prilepin, the conflict in Ukraine has seen a major change as he has gone from a member of a banned group fiercely opposed to the Kremlin to supporting the official line.

He was part of the outlawed National Bolshevik Party led by fellow writer Eduard Limonov, which used to see its illegal rallies crushed by riot police, but then supported Moscows seizure of Crimea in 2014.

By becoming one of the most high-profile Russians to join east Ukraines fighters, Prilepin has prompted outpourings of bile from top literary figures with more liberal views.

Viktor Pelevin, one of the best known post-Soviet writers, wrote on Facebook: When your books are shit, you have to earn money from terrorism.

Meanwhile Dmitry Bykov, a poet and writer known for an award-winning biography of Boris Pasternak, told Gazeta.ru that Prilepin deserves hatred.

In a comment reported by state television, Vera Polozkova, one of Russias best known young Russian poets, wrote on Facebook that she will open a bottle of the best champagne when they finally blow his head off.

The countrys blogosphere is buzzing. It has divided into factions: those who are for Prilepin and those who are against, wrote Life News website.

Prilepin said the reaction came as as a surprise but he welcomed the fact it had put writers back on the newspaper front pages.

I live in the context of Russian literature. Its much more important to me what Tolstoy and Dostoevsky would say and think about me than what the current European hypocrites will say, he responded.

Deadly risks Prilepin is taking time out from the military campaign to present a new book called Platoon: the officers and rebels of Russian literature which tells the story of famous writers who took up arms including national poet Alexander Pushkin.

Prilepin compared himself with the likes of Leo Tolstoy and Mikhail Lermontov, who fought as soldiers and drew on the experience in their writing.

He even went so far as to say he could see such figures joining him in the rebels self-declared Donetsk Peoples Republic.

While his involvement with the rebels has set off literary skirmishes back in Moscow, Prilepin admits that he faces far more real dangers on the ground in east Ukraine.

In recent months, several rebel battalion commanders have been assassinated in violent attacks inside the rebel-controlled region, killings Prilepin blamed on various sabotage groups.

The rebel leadership says Ukraine was behind the deaths, while Kiev insists they were down to either infighting or score settling by the insurgents puppet masters in Moscow.

I want to live, I like living, he said, while adding: Why hide it or beat about the bush, there definitely are risks.

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Russian writer sparks war of words by joining Ukraine rebels - Guardian

Grey 'blob' takes seat in Ukraine parliament BBC News A Ukrainian MP has brought a stuffed toy into parliament in a stunt intended to shame colleagues who don't show up for work. Independent MP Borislav Bereza arrived with the grey blob-shaped toy on Friday morning and propped it up on a vacant seat. and more »

Link:
Grey 'blob' takes seat in Ukraine parliament - BBC News

Background

Due to ongoing instability and conflict in Ukraine since April 2014, areas primarily in the eastern part of the country have experienced a deteriorating humanitarian situation. Heavy shelling and armed conflict has led to significant displacement of people. Unfortunately, political negotiations conducted have not succeeded so far in ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The humanitarian crisis is becoming extended, insecurity and humanitarian suffering continue to be a fact of life for many in the east. In the planning figures for the revised Humanitarian Response Plan for 2016, 3.1 million people are estimated to be in need, including 1.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs). As the conflict continues and being even intensified in May-July 2016, the political and security agendas continue to prevail over the humanitarian one. The population in the most affected areas, Donetsk and Luhansk, continue to experience limited or no access to humanitarian aid, including basic life-saving services, and face constant security threats challenging humanitarian operations. The operating environment in those two districts remain volatile, with significant implications on the protection of civilians and aid workers, on the assessment of needs and on the delivery of assistance. Shelling affects infrastructure and hampers road access to deliver humanitarian assistance to people remaining in the conflict zone. So far, the following Clusters remain to be activated in the country: Education; Shelter & NFIs; Food Security; Health & Nutrition; Protection, WASH, and Logistics Cluster, officially activated on 18 February 2015.

See more here:
Ukraine - Humanitarian Response Concept of Operations, 23 February 2017 - ReliefWeb

BRUSSELS -- The Netherlands' lower house of parliament has voted for the ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, leaving a vote in the upper house -- the Dutch Senate -- as a final hurdle before the deal, which was signed in March 2014, finally can enter into force.

It has been expected that the House of Representatives would vote in favor of the deal, as the governing coalition enjoys a majority there.

The Senate vote is expected to take place only after the next month's parliamentary elections in the Netherlands on March 15, despite the fact that the composition of the Senate isn't affected by the general election.

The Netherlands is the only EU country that still hasn't ratified the Association Agreement with Ukraine after 61 percent voted against it in a citizen-driven referendum in the country in April 2016.

Although the result was consultative, the Dutch government decided to negotiate a legally binding supplement to the Association Agreement with the other 27 EU member states.

The supplement, which does not change the text of the actual agreement, was adopted at an EU summit in Brussels in December 2016 and outlined, among other things, that the EU-Ukraine deal doesn't give Kyiv the right to EU membership or guarantees of military support from the EU.

Link:
Dutch Lawmakers Vote In Favor Of EU-Ukraine Deal - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty