Already mentioned in this post- A federated Ukraine as proposed previously by Russia?With a flashback to a DW article from February of this year, excerpts below - -Would a federal Ukraine be viable
Officials, from predominantly Russian-speaking areas, approved a resolution for regional leaders to take full responsibility for constitutional order in their territories.
A few days before the proposal was published, a Party of Regions parliamentarian, Vadim Koleznichenko, spoke in favor of a "federalization of Ukraine," since the country was on the brink of civil war,
Federalization, he said, would help to prevent the country from falling apart. According to media reports, this would mean Ukraine could be divided into up to seven large states, each with its own parliament.
And then the overthrow took place.
Kerry/Lavrov to meet today-
Russia on Sunday set out demands for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, saying the former Soviet republic should be unified in a federation allowing wide autonomy to its various regions as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov prepared to meet in Paris in another bid to calm tensions.
Appearing on Russian television ahead of his talks with Kerry, Lavrov rejected suspicions that the deployment of tens of thousands of Russian troops near Ukraine is a sign Moscow plans to invade the country following its annexation of the strategic Crimean peninsula.
"We have absolutely no intention of, or interest in, crossing Ukraine's borders," Lavrov said.He also said, not a direct quote, they would protect Russians in Ukraine.
In his interview, Lavrov made clear that Moscow believes a federation is the only way to guarantee Ukraine's stability and neutrality."We can't see any other way to ensure the stable development of Ukraine but to sign a federal agreement," Lavrov said, adding that he understood the United States was open to the idea.
Lavrov is absolutely not going to say this unless he is certain the US is on the same page.
U.S. officials have been coy about their position on a federation and insist that any changes to Ukraine's governing structure must be acceptable to the Ukrainians. Ukrainian officials are wary of decentralizing power, fearing that pro-Russia regions would hamper its western aspirations and potentially split the country apart. However, they are exploring political reforms that could grant more authority to local governments.
The US has been 'coy' about there position on this federation for one reason and one reason only!This was Moscow's plan. All along.Even before the US overthrew the elected government of Ukraine. Before the whole Crimean situation happened. A situation that took, I believe, the US by complete surprise. I had an article to that effect, somewhere....This was Moscow's plan to calm the situation in the Ukraine. The US would have none of it then.But, they will now.
The plan that Kerry and Lavrov are to discuss covers Ukrainian political and constitutional reforms as well as the disarmament of irregular forces, international monitors to protect minority rights and direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, according to U.S. officials, who say it has backing of Ukraine's government.Lavrov called the sanctions a "dead-end" strategy that would not achieve results and accused the west of hypocrisy.
He said it was inconsistent for the west to refuse to recognize Crimea's annexation, which followed a referendum on joining Russia that was overwhelmingly approved, while at the same time accepting the new government in Kyiv, which was formed after the pro-Moscow president fled the country.
"If they are willing to accept the first event as legitimate, then surely they are obliged to acknowledge the second," Lavrov told Russia's Channel One television.
Lavrov always astute. Speaking volumes using few words.Unlike, Obama & Kerry, both of whom have demonstrated the soaring heights of idiocracy inherent in the US politics/politicians. Canada's too! As Harper has been shameless. Simply shameless.An embarrassment to sensible, intelligent Canadians. Idiocracy-a form of government in which a country or territory is run by fools The meeting has ended & nothing much is being reported Just some interesting tidbits-Australian
But he (Lavrov) called on Western powers to back a proposal for Ukraine's Russian-speaking regions to have greater powers in a "federal" and neutral Ukraine."If our Western partners are ready, then Russia, the United States and the European Union could form a support group on Ukraine," Mr Lavrov told Russian state television.This would lead to talks between "all Ukrainian political forces without exception, naturally excluding armed radicals", and would end in a new constitution allowing for a "federal structure" with greater regional autonomy, he said.
The US has sent it's top General back to Europe
America's top general in Europe has been sent back early from a trip to Washington
General Philip Breedlove, who is both NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the head of the U.S. military's European Command, arrived in Europe Saturday evening.
It is being reported that Lavrov said to Kerry "Good night and Good Luck"It appears nothing much is going to be said until a decision is made on how to present this meeting