Kiev Calls for Additional NATO Patrol of Black Sea, Moscow Complains of Provocation

[Navarro]

"Statement by the Ukrainian authorities ... readiness to contribute to a more active NATO presence in the region ... Ukraine is ready for such cooperation ... 'there is a complete dominance of the Russian Armed Forces in the Black Sea after the Crimean occupation.' ... 'there is no strong fleet of NATO in the Black Sea. Once this was not necessary, and today the need to have' ... 'NATO should actively present in the Black Sea and Ukraine is ready in every way to facilitate this' ... Russian Deputy Foreign Minister ... 'This provocative statement, which only exacerbates the difficulties that exist in the Black Sea' ... 'Less is necessary to provocative talk, then everyone will be sought well and recognize the Crimea'
Original: http://www.interfax.ru/russia/539586
Translated: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.interfax.ru%2Frussia%2F539586

 

[DEFCON Warning System]

Ukraine keeps trying to pull NATO in.

 

[Navarro]

Ukraine keeps trying to pull NATO in.

I suspect that Poroshenko actually believes he can recover not only Donbas, but possibly also Crimea. I don't understand what his complete reasoning could be, but I'm certain it must involve NATO. Alone, it's simply impossible for Ukraine to exert sufficient pressure on Russia to recover Donbas without acceding to their demands, let alone Crimea. Short of a world war, I just don't see a scenario which would lead to Kiev recovering Crimea. Donbas is different - because the Russians don't consider it theirs. If Kiev can generate an intense and persistent standoff between NATO and Russia, maintaining the peacekeepers in Donbas might be more trouble than its worth to Russia. Sustained and intensified sanctions against Russia, NATO troops replacing Ukrainian soldiers at the line of contact, pushing OSCE into Donbas to guard the border with Russia, thus denying entry of Russian supply and reinforcements, perhaps even a NATO air campaign directed against the opposition forces there, these things could very well lead to a recovery of Donbas, without Kiev needing to first fulfil its obligations agreed to at Minsk.

This isn't realistic because USA/NATO/EU would surely never do these things, but it's the nearest to realistic scenario I can imagine. There's however, in my estimation, no other reason for Poroshenko's continued attempts to draw NATO further in, and for simultaneously continuing the conflict with Russia. He must mean to exert pressure on Russia for the purpose of recovering separatist held territory. He's deluded, but NATO is not.