Gorbachev warns of major war in Europe over Ukraine

[Dr. Strangelove]

(Reuters) - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev warned that tensions between Russia and European powers over the Ukraine crisis could result in a major conflict or even nuclear war, in an interview to appear in a German news magazine on Saturday.

"A war of this kind would unavoidably lead to a nuclear war," the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize winner told Der Spiegel news magazine, according to excerpts released on Friday.

"We won't survive the coming years if someone loses their nerve in this overheated situation," added Gorbachev, 83. "This is not something I'm saying thoughtlessly. I am extremely concerned."

Tensions between Russia and Western powers rose after pro-Russian separatists took control of large parts of eastern Ukraine and Russia annexed Crimea in early 2014.

The United States, NATO and the European Union accuse Russia of sending troops and weapons to support the separatist uprising, and have imposed sanctions on Moscow.

Russia denies providing the rebels with military support and fends off Western criticism of its annexation of Crimea, saying the Crimean people voted for it in a referendum.

Gorbachev, who is widely admired in Germany for his role in opening the Berlin Wall and steps that led to Germany's reunification in 1990, warned against Western intervention in the Ukraine crisis.

"The new Germany wants to intervene everywhere," he said in the interview. "In Germany evidently there are a lot of people who want to help create a new division in Europe."

The elder statesman, whose "perestroika" (restructuring) policy helped end the Cold War, has previously warned of a new cold war and potentially dire consequences if tensions were not reduced over the Ukraine crisis.

The diplomatic standoff over Ukraine is the worst between Moscow and the West since the Cold war ended more than two decades ago.

Gorbachev warns of major war in Europe over Ukraine| Reuters

(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; Editing by Sam Wilkin)

 

[Sine Nomine]

Let's do it...

 

[Foggy_Bottom]

Simple solution, get out of their country and return Crimea to them. You can't just annex somebodies land and get away anymore...

 

[Always Neutral]

(Reuters) - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev warned that tensions between Russia and European powers over the Ukraine crisis could result in a major conflict or even nuclear war, in an interview to appear in a German news magazine on Saturday.

Gorbachev warns of major war in Europe over Ukraine| Reuters

(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; Editing by Sam Wilkin)

poor guy getting paid in rubles is not helping taking his wife on a vacation to london

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Simple solution, get out of their country and return Crimea to them. You can't just annex somebodies land and get away anymore...

fair enough
nato should also stop its expension toward former soviet states every thing will go back to normal
putin will probably even give crimea back but nato will never do that

 

[timetravel]

NATO should get the hell out of Ukraine. How would NATO like India, China, Russia entering Canada and providing arms to it?

NATO has no purpose to interfere in Russia's backyard.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

NATO should get the hell out of Ukraine. How would NATO like India, China, Russia entering Canada and providing arms to it?

NATO has no purpose to interfere in Russia's backyard.

they bring democracy an freedom ........enough said

 

[Foggy_Bottom]

fair enough
nato should also stop its expension toward former soviet states every thing will go back to normal
putin will probably even give crimea back but nato will never do that

Let me get this logic. NATO is only expanding into sovereign countries that are voluntarily joining NATO. Your logic says this should give Russia a right to annex any part of another country. BTW Ukraine is not a NATO member.

This would mean India has the right to annex Balochistan or more, because Pakistan are getting close to China. OR Israel has the right to annex more lands from palestine, because palestine are getting close to Hamas/Iran etc., who are a threat to Israel. OR USSR had a right to annex pakistan because pakistan back then was close to the U.S.

The point is when debating you should take emotion out of it or rabid hatred towards the U.S. This is a country that has arbitrarily annexed a part of another country. Think about that.

NATO should get the hell out of Ukraine. How would NATO like India, China, Russia entering Canada and providing arms to it?

NATO has no purpose to interfere in Russia's backyard.

Ukraine is not a NATO member. NATO is not in Ukraine.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

h

Let me get this logic. NATO is only expanding into sovereign countries that are voluntarily joining NATO. Your logic says this should give Russia a right to annex any part of another country. BTW Ukraine is not a NATO member.

This would mean India has the right to annex Balochistan or more, because Pakistan are getting close to China. OR Israel has the right to annex more lands from palestine, because palestine are getting close to Hamas/Iran etc., who are a threat to Israel. OR USSR had a right to annex pakistan because pakistan back then was close to the U.S.

The point is when debating you should take emotion out of it or rabid hatred towards the U.S. This is a country that has arbitrarily annexed a part of another country. Think about that.



Ukraine is not a NATO member. NATO is not in Ukraine.

hey no ones talking about whats right or wrong nothing in this world is right russia feels threatened by the expansion of nato what you claim is true it doesnt give them the right to annex crimea but right or wrong doesnt matters us didnt have the right to invade iraq in 2003 it did anyway by lying to the entire world
lets take cuba as an example for how many years us tried to get rid of castro beacause he was in bed with soviets us felt threatened in 1962 didnt it
i know it isnt the same as ukraine but a threat neverthless
and lets not pretend nato nato has no plans for ukraine

 

[Foggy_Bottom]

h

hey no ones talking about whats right or wrong nothing in this world is right russia feels threatened by the expansion of nato what you claim is true it doesnt give them the right to annex crimea but right or wrong doesnt matters us didnt have the right to invade iraq in 2003 it did anyway by lying to the entire world
lets take cuba as an example for how many years us tried to get rid of castro beacause he was in bed with soviets us felt threatened in 1962 didnt it
i know it isnt the same as ukraine but a threat neverthless
and lets not pretend nato nato has no plans for ukraine

There is right and wrong and that is why they are facing sanctions . U.N btw had several resolutions against Iraq with consequences for breaking them. U.S. was never sanctioned for following through on the consequences. Cuba was trying to get USSR nuclear weapons and conventional weapons to attack the U.S. mainland. That was during the cold war too- there exists none today. Ukraine had a pro russian government, people wanted it to be pro west, its people, its majority citizens, and nato had no plans [period].

 

[timetravel]

There is right and wrong and that is why they are facing sanctions . U.N btw had several resolutions against Iraq with consequences for breaking them. U.S. was never sanctioned for following through on the consequences. Cuba was trying to get USSR nuclear weapons and conventional weapons to attack the U.S. mainland. That was during the cold war too- there exists none today. Ukraine had a pro russian government, people wanted it to be pro west, its people, its majority citizens, and nato had no plans [period].

Bro Crimea is with Russia and would stay with Russia. India and China support Russia. If NATO declares war on Russia, expect to fight Russia/China/India. and you know NATO cannot defeat all three together.

This is not even a point of discussion, and US/NATO already know. Russia has a few lines which you are not allowed to cross. The only way Crimea is going back is if US defeats Russia in a war.

 

[Foggy_Bottom]

Bro Crimea is with Russia and would stay with Russia. India and China support Russia. If NATO declares war on Russia, expect to fight Russia/China/India. and you know NATO cannot defeat all three together.

This is not even a point of discussion, and US/NATO already know. Russia has a few lines which you are not allowed to cross. The only way Crimea is going back is if US defeats Russia in a war.

Crimea with Russia is illegal, whether they dig their heels in with it is their issue. The sanctions will continue and only get worse. Ukraine will continue to push the rebels out.

The rest of your post about some India/ China/ Russian military alliance is way too immature to comment upon.

 

[Dalit]

There is right and wrong and that is why they are facing sanctions . U.N btw had several resolutions against Iraq with consequences for breaking them. U.S. was never sanctioned for following through on the consequences. Cuba was trying to get USSR nuclear weapons and conventional weapons to attack the U.S. mainland. That was during the cold war too- there exists none today. Ukraine had a pro russian government, people wanted it to be pro west, its people, its majority citizens, and nato had no plans [period].

Right and wrong is only there for some when it suits their narrative. I can cite tons of examples in this world where countries have murdered each other over a piece of land. In fact, one of your police states is currently stealing land and massacring people whilst your country arms this country to the teeth and looks the other way. So much for right and wrong.

Besides, to say that people wanted it to be pro-West doesn't prove anything. Surely, there might be people in Ukraine who hold a pro-EU stance. I can also assure you that many in Ukraine seek pro-Russian ties.

 

[timetravel]

Crimea with Russia is illegal, whether they dig their heels in with it is their issue. The sanctions will continue and only get worse. Ukraine will continue to push the rebels out.

If you think you can get Crimea back by applying sanctions, please try it out. Its good if there is no war.

But I think Russia would survive the sanctions.

On the Russia/India/China partnership, you need to think again. In case of a hypothetical war by NATO on Russia, India/China cannot afford Russia to loose. Simple because after Russia, it will be China's no next on SCS issue, and lastly it would be India on some other pretext. So I am sure Russia/India/China would be fighting NATO together if ever required.

If so many European countries and US can attack Russia together (in name of NATO), why can't 3 other countries also unite??? Why you think China/India will not participate in case of a Hypothetical war by NATO on Russia??