It appears that France, Germany and the US are talking today in Kyiv about a possible new deal and then France and Germany heads on to Russia.
I whole heartedly recommend to the leaders of the West and especially the US to read the following series of books;
1. "Game Theory' by the new current Greek Finance Minister Varoufakis
AND ESPECIALLY this book;
2. "Strategy of Conflict" by Thomas Schelling, 1980.
In the "Strategy of Conflict" there is a concept that Schelling spends much time on called "The Game of/by/with Fire".
WHY---because the concept is to drive your opponents by your taking the "game" literally "to the edge of the cliff" all the while providing reinforcement by yourself that you will really ready and even more so willing to go over the cliff to their detriment if need be.
Territory which Russia occupied now in Ukraine is bigger than Transdnistria,Chechnya,Abkhazia & South Ossetia put together
Putin wages war 2 win "recognition of #Russia as key global power"; #Ukraine "only tactical playground" - RU pol. pundit.
Putin "prepares #Russia ppl 4 an open war/ #Ukraine portraying her on state TV as country of 2nd-class humans" - RU pol. Pundit
Putin is being driven by ethno nationalism with a deep Russian fascism on what he views as his "Holy War" with the West and has in this "Holy War" three deeply seated geo political (political warfare) goals in mind that he wants to achieve. To him the Ukraine is simply his "playground" to drive those goals.
1. detach forever the US from the EU/NATO
2. discrediting of NATO
3. discrediting of the EU and in the end the "destruction of western liberal/economical ideas.
With that in mind Putin has unleased his military into eastern Ukraine after militarily annexing Crimea--while in eastern Ukraine he has razed complete Ukrainian towns and villages a la Grozny.
He has unleased indiscriminate shellings of civilians and focused on shelling hospitals, schools, bus stops, residential housing ALL to give the impression that he is totally willing to go over the cliff and take Central Europe with him---notice he has been extremely silent lately and is letting his military do the "talking".
Then he has unleased his mercenary proxies with a declaration of war on the Ukraine AND remember this all started because he wanted to "protect the Russian language" AND in the process he has virtually destroyed his own "ethnic Russian population" he swore was the "reason" in the first place in his Duma speech.
By the way it is estimated his troops and his mercenaries are firing over 150 tons of artillery munitions per day and if that does not reinforce his "game" in the eyes of Western leaders nothing will.
WHY is that?
The goal of the "Game of/by/with Fire" is to get your opponents ie the "West" to do a total compromise--- but on your terms not theirs. Has he even shown the West he is willing to destroy his own economy to achieve his stated goals?-and has he even threatened "the use of tactical nukes"---yes he has.
Actually check since the Crimea just how many times the Russian FM has uttered the suggestion that the EU/EEU should do an economic treaty and it was even picked up on by Merkel recently.
NOW the question is ---has the West fully understood "Putin's Fire Game strategy"?
Not really as the below seems to indicate that clearly the West ie the US and EU are literally afraid of "going over the cliff"--notice below exactly how afraid the French leader Hollande is of "going over the cliff"?
Maybe one should send copies of the two books to each of the Western leaders-it does make interesting reading when compared to the Putin realities and the fighting on the ground in eastern Ukraine.
AND it reinforces exactly why diplomacy as viewed by the West has literally failed---they simply do not understand "gaming theories" as it applies to international relations.
Even the Islamic State fully understands and implements these "gaming theories" with every execution they conduct.
From today:
Hollande: "We will propose a new solution to the conflict based on the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” and discuss with Poroshenko/Putin.
Judging by this unexpected visit today from Merkel and Hollande, they might be trying to outdo Chamberlain…
Challenge for Merkel, Hollande, Kerry in Kiev. Explain why no mil help to Ukr supports dip solution while Russ escalating violence.
#Hollande strongly favors diplomacy in #Ukraine: "France is not in a war in Ukraine & doesn't want to be in a war in #Ukraine." @FRANCE24
Hollande: "We will make a new proposal to solve the conflict which will be based on Ukraine's territorial integrity." via @ReutersWorld
BREAKING: German & French leaders to make crisis visit to Kiev w peace initiative amid escalating #Ukraine fighting
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31143983 …
#Hollande reiterates that #France is opposed to #Ukraine joining #NATO. @FRANCE24
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