Former US diplomat Michael Springmann. Photo supplied
Donbass: ‘The world needs to hear all sides’
Former US diplomat Michael Springmann addressed the situation in Ukraine and Wednesday's online session of the UN Security Council where the foreign ministers of the two unrecognized republics of Donetsk and Lugansk got the opportunity to speak.
Published: December 3, 2020, 8:06 am
Mr. Springmann, how do you see the Ukrainian war 2014/15 and its results today? Washington is considered a close ally of Kiev and encouraged Ukraine in its military campaign against the east of the country.
Springmann: Ukraine was and is making a big mistake – and this mistake has made the eastern parts and Crimea leave the state. The Obama administration was very supportive towards Kiev during the Maidan protests, fueled by the US and the EU. The result: There is still corruption, still a social crisis and the country has been disintegrating.
Do you understand the steps taken by Donetsk and Lugansk to declare independence from Ukraine?
Springmann: I certainly do. The new government in Kiev took away some fundamental basic and civil rights from the Russian speaking part of the Ukrainian people – and even went on war against them. Of course they have the right to self determination. Self-determination of nations is the cornerstone on which the UN is built. Even our country, the US, exists solely thanks to this crucial right. Therefore, the existence of the Donbass Republics is a political reality which we have to face. People of Donbass, who have voted for secession from Ukraine, willed the Republics into existence. They have a right to be heard.
How would you interpret this online session on the platform of the UN Security Council, where the two foreign ministers of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic for the first time had the opportunity to speak directly to an audience of United Nations members?
Springmann: For a long time, Ukraine had a monopoly on information coverage of the conflict in presenting its vision of what is happening in the east of the country. This is an unacceptable situation – the world needs to hear the views from all sides.
The representatives of the two unrecognized republics especially accused Kiev of not respecting and implementing the Minsk agreements…
Springmann: For five years now, Kiev has been assuring the international community of its commitment to the Minsk agreements. But representatives of Donbass brought us some horrifying figures – about the numbers of dead, wounded, people who lost their homes and earnings, people whose rights and freedoms have been oppressed. More importantly, these statements are supported by facts. Obviously, Kiev is simply misinforming us, while steadily sabotaging the peacemaking process.
And as a last question: How do you consider the first international performance of the two foreign ministers of the unrecognized republics?
Springmann: I want to say firstly that it is absolutely phenomenal to have created independent and functioning state structures in such a short time. And to witness for example in the Foreign Ministry of the DPR, there are so many young people employed! Most of them started with no diplomatic education and no experience and thus performing on such a high professional level, has simply been fascinating to watch. Diplomacy is a complex topic, even for long established countries and governments. But the young diplomatic workers in Donbass learned very quickly and delivered solid and exceptionally professional work. Especially the performance of the foreign minister of DPR, Natalia Nikonorova, a young woman in her 30s, was impressive to witness. The fact that this young team managed to present their cause on the level of the UN security council, is a mayor achievement. It speaks for their abilities.
Mr. Springmann, thanks a lot for the interview
Michael Springmann served in the United States government as a diplomat with the State Department’s Foreign Service, with postings in Germany, India, and Saudi Arabia. He left federal service and currently practices law in the Washington, DC, area.
All rights reserved. You have permission to quote freely from the articles provided that the source (www.freewestmedia.com) is given. Photos may not be used without our consent.
Consider donating to support our work
Help us to produce more articles like this. FreeWestMedia is depending on donations from our readers to keep going. With your help, we expose the mainstream fake news agenda.
Keep your language polite. Readers from many different countries visit and contribute to Free West Media and we must therefore obey the rules in, for example, Germany. Illegal content will be deleted.
If you have been approved to post comments without preview from FWM, you are responsible for violations of any law. This means that FWM may be forced to cooperate with authorities in a possible crime investigation.
If your comments are subject to preview by FWM, please be patient. We continually review comments but depending on the time of day it can take up to several hours before your comment is reviewed.
We reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, contain slander or foul language, or are irrelevant to the discussion.
Europe
New App Helps Locate Sweden’s Historic Runestones
A new app called Swedish Runestones will help locate historical gems.
Swedish military wants to remilitarize the Åland Islands
The demilitarized autonomy has previously been known as 'the islands of peace.
NOAA Predicts Zero Sunspots for Almost the Whole 2030s
CLIMATEThe United States' government scientific organization, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), predicts zero sunspots from 2031 to 2040. This is an extreme situation that has not occurred in as long as humanity has been counting sunspots, and it leads us into uncharted territory in terms of our solar system. However, this prediction aligns with the warnings of the world-renowned solar researcher Valentina Zharkova for many years, who indicated in 2019 various signs of this catastrophic phenomenon, including the extreme hailstorms we have seen in Europe and the world this summer. The forecast and various observations this year give cause for very significant concern. In this unique analysis, Free West Media explains why.
European Nationalist Parties Forge Cooperation Ahead of EU Elections
EUROPEAN ELECTIONSOn Saturday, August 26, representatives of six European nationalist parties gathered in Budapest. The meeting was initiated by the Hungarian party Mi Hazánk and took place in the national parliament. Representatives of the parties signed a joint declaration that not only reaffirms the parties' friendship but also their unity on a range of complex political issues. A surprisingly clear and radical manifesto was established. The hope is that this cooperation will lead to success in the EU elections and eventually result in the formation of a group in the European Parliament. For Swedish nationalism, this meeting marks a success as Sweden, for the first time, has a party represented in a leading nationalist cooperation in Europe. Free West Media was present at this historic event.
Turkey Believes Sweden Hasn’t Done Enough
Sweden will have to wait a bit longer for NATO membership, according to Turkey's Justice Minister Jilmaz Tunc. First, Sweden must extradite the "terrorists" Turkey wants and stop the desecration of the Quran.
Swedish Weapon Takes Down Russia’s Best Attack Helicopter
The Russian attack helicopter Ka-52 is considered one of the world's best and has struck fear in Ukraine, where it has hunted down tanks and other armored vehicles, often beyond the range of many light anti-aircraft systems. However, it has met its match in the Swedish air defense missile system RBS 70, which has quickly led to significant losses for the Russian helicopter forces.
The Sun Drives Earth’s Climate, Not Carbon Dioxide
Top Researchers Push Back Against Climate Lies."The correlation is as clear as day," explained the Israeli astrophysicist Nir Shaviv, who was hailed by the establishment, before his interview with Forbes was hastily deleted. What he says contradicts the climate narrative, which points to humans as responsible for Earth's climate. Shaviv firmly asserts that it is the sun that controls the climate, something that can be scientifically proven in many ways. Contrary to the popular belief, the sun's influence on Earth has, in recent years, caused unusually cold and rainy weather, a trend that solar researchers warn will worsen significantly in the coming decades. The sun has exhibited an unusually low activity since 2016, during Solar Cycle 24, which was the weakest in a century.
Strong Confidence in German AfD
Alternative for Germany (AfD) held a party conference on July 29-30 to select candidates for the upcoming EU election next year. EU Parliament member Maximilian Krah, belonging to the party's more radical, ethnonationalist faction, was appointed as the top candidate. The party's two spokespersons delivered powerful speeches criticizing the EU's failed migration policy and trade sanctions that isolate Europe and Germany from the rest of the world. They argued that it's time for the EU to return a significant portion of its power to national parliaments. However, they have dropped the demand for Germany to exit the EU.
The Establishment Wants to Ban Germany’s Second Largest Party – for the Sake of Democracy
The rising popularity of AfD has raised strong concerns within the establishment. Despite lies and demonization in the media and isolation from the overall political establishment, the party continues to grow. Certain representatives of the party are accused of becoming increasingly "extreme," and in an unusual move, the influential weekly newspaper Der Spiegel demanded that AfD be "banned."
Dutch FvD break through the media blockade
What is happening in the Netherlands? It is often difficult to follow events in other countries, especially when distorted by system media. We give Forum for Democracy (FvD) the opportunity to speak out on the political situation in the Netherlands and the staunch resistance they face in trying to save the country.
No comments.
By submitting a comment you grant Free West Media a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/web site in attribution. Inappropriate and irrelevant comments will be removed at an admin’s discretion. Your email is used for verification purposes only, it will never be shared.