Vladimir Putin. Yahoo/AFP
In a stunning reversal Vladimir Putin said that his country is not under siege from the west. -Yahoo/CSM. Putin also says he will support any investigation into Flight 17 and will use his influence on the rebels to ensure cooperation. He also claims that he does not want Russia to become an isolated state.
My Comment:
He's saying all the right things, but my guess is that he is stalling for time. Time is what he and the rebels need because once winter hits Ukraine and Europe will be brought to their knees. How? Natural Gas. Both Ukraine and a lot of EU members are dependent on Russian Natural Gas and Russia has already cut off Ukraine. Once winter hits and the majority of the population is without heat in a part of the world known for harsh winters, they will have to come to the negotiating table. That is of course dependent on the rebels surviving that long. It's a win-win either way for Putin though. If the rebels survive he gets more territory. If they don't he can be seen as a wise leader (at least domestically) who stepped away from the brink.
Also, it's important to point out that Putin doesn't have as much influence over the rebels as the western media likes to believe. Yes the rebels are Russians but they are also extremely stubborn and have been rebellious against everyone throughout their history. Putin can and will influence them but he can not control them.
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