If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom, and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.
William Somerset Maugham
Editorial: a nation that values freedom more than money
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Whatever was feared to start in Ukraine has started. Herewith, we are hesitant to state the price of blood in figures – events unfolding like a storm. And how would a bystander be able, at sunset, to predict what the morning sun will see in Kiev of today.
For months, Ukrainian people have been proving, on Maidan, not to value loan-money promised by Putin to Yanukovych above freedom. As obvious in protest camp conditions, neither do they prefer comfort. Herein lies the worst miscalculation of the Yanukovych front and its Eastern, Kremlin’s KGB schooled allies. Such a steadfast stand by Ukrainians, for their freedom they never expected.
Ironically, the same quote goes well to also describe the actions of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. Till last fall, he was free to decide – till, instead of the time-consuming i.e. uncomfortable path towards Europe he opted for a fast loan from Putin. Even at the end of last year, some said the Ukrainian government was craftily steering its course between Russia and the EU, trying the get the best out of both.
Obviously not among the talented politicians in world history, let’s not be limited to that while describing Viktor Yanukovych. His craftiness exposed – that’s the reason the opposition cannot trust a single promise of his anymore.
A lesson more general would be: Niccolò Machiavelli’s observations regarding human nature and his teachings to ruler(s) were innovative in the 16th century; in the 21st century, politicians – thank goodness – can no longer go with smart Machiavelli’s doctrine of 500 years ago.
Much more needs to be known, and deception will not work nearly as often as in the times where the speed of information was up to a horse’s legs and the rider’s skills. What should the EU do?
Hopefully we’ll know by today what it’ll do. The Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt has been the clearest, saying the responsibility for killings and other violence lies with the bloody-handed Yanukovych.
So far the EU has played it safe – firstly not to waste the last diplomatic options, as this would have proven a poor foundation for seeking solutions, and also: how then to react to acts even worse?
For the West, intervention by force is excluded. What about the East, though? For quite a while, they’re asking a question in Ukraine: where, actually, do these special forces guys wearing the Berkut uniforms, come from?