This year’s UN General Assembly session in New York is the focus of the world media’s special attention for several reasons. Firstly, this session marks the 70th anniversary since the founding of this international organization. Secondly, and this is obviously the most important reason, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to speak at the session, even as he remains in international isolation because of the annexation of Crimea and the aggression in eastern Ukraine; he last spoke from the rostrum of the UN 10 years ago.
The main attention focused precisely on the night of September 28, when the Russian leader’s speech from the rostrum of the UN and his meeting with the occupant of the White House were scheduled to happen. All these events were to take place late at night Kyiv time.
However, the first protests against Putin’s visit to the US were held in New York already on September 27. Hundreds of protesters gathered near the building of the Russian mission to the UN. People of various nationalities, including Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians, and Americans came up with the slogans like “Freedom for Russia, peace for Ukraine,” “Putin destroys the peace,” “Putin’s policy kills,” the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Russian Americans in support of Ukraine reported on social networks.
Another protest against Putin’s UN speech, called “Stand Up to Putin at the UN,” was scheduled to be held on September 28 in New York outside the headquarters of the UN. The organizers called on all Americans to share in “our outrage at Russian revanchist actions and the danger these represent for the national interests of the United States, its Trans-Atlantic allies, partners, and friendly nations in Europe and elsewhere,” the community’s Facebook page reads.
An anti-Putin Twitter storm has been launched as well, with the hashtag #PutinKillerMH17. In addition, another global campaign started on September 28 aiming to support Ukrainian pilot and MP Nadia Savchenko, who has spent more than a year in pre-trial detention in Russia. “There is no single format for it, so anyone who wants to, can do whatever seems appropriate to them in their locality or online. Join. Our hashtag is #FreeSavchenko,” one of the Ukrainian’s defense lawyers Ilya Novikov posted on Facebook.
NEW YORK. SEPTEMBER 27, 2015 / Photo from Olena RYKOVTSEVA’s facebook page
The next question is how well the Ukrainian side is promoting its interests at the UN against the background of anti-Putin protests. On the one hand, the delegation headed by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has shown a lot of activity, as evidenced by the Ukrainian leader’s numerous meetings with the world leaders in New York, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, as well as with representatives of Jewish communities and organizations in the US.
“We have received assurances that the issue of Syria cannot be conflated with the issue of Ukraine. The demands for de-escalation of the conflict, the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territory of the Donbas, and liberation of Crimea were separately raised at all the meetings,” Poroshenko commented on the results of his meetings with world leaders when speaking to the press.
COMMENTARIES
Steven PIFER, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center on the United States and Europe, Washington, D.C.:
“Some think that Moscow is trying to create a trade-off between its actions in Syria and Ukraine. It is not clear how that would work. Washington, London, Berlin, and Paris are all extremely critical of the Kremlin’s decision to deploy Russian military units to Syria. Any chance for cooperation will require resolution of difficult questions: How will Russian and Western military operations be deconflicted? Who will Russian forces target? How can the obstacle of al-Assad’s role be resolved? What is the vision for Syria? If answers to these questions are found, some cooperation may be possible, but that will be because the sides consider cooperation in their interest in the Middle East. That is not likely to produce much that the Russians can try to ‘trade’ for a more relaxed Western position on Ukraine.
“The White House has said that Ukraine will top President Obama’s agenda when he meets with President Putin. That is how it should be. I expect that Mr. Obama will reiterate what Chancellor Merkel has been saying: Russia needs to do its part to fully implement the Minsk 2 agreement, including by using its very considerable influence with the ‘separatist authorities’ in Donetsk and Luhansk. That is a precondition for easing of sanctions. I hope that Mr. Obama will also caution the Russian president that, if Minsk 2 fails due to Russian inaction, Moscow should anticipate additional Western sanctions and greater support for Ukraine, both financial and military.”
John HERBST, former US Ambassador to Ukraine, member of the Atlantic Council; Washington, D.C.:
“Mr. Putin has a realistic, if not so easy to achieve goal. He is trying to strengthen the al-Assad’s regime, a long time client of Moscow. Under pressure from ISIL, Mr. Assad’s position has weakened in recent months, but it is not irretrievable. In the short and medium run, a great boost in Russian support will strengthen him. If in this interim, the West and various Arab states decide that they can live with Bashar al-Assad, or at least his regime, Putin’s intervention may prove ultimately successful. If not, then Mr. Putin may have a long-term problem.
“In any case, the West has not welcomed Moscow’s intervention. And the West will not sacrifice Ukraine because Mr. Putin is now playing a larger role in Syria. President Obama will certainly talk with President Putin about Syria. It is important to deconflict American and Russian military operations there. While Syria will be the main topic between the two presidents, Mr. Obama should also reiterate our strong support for Ukraine in the current standoff with Moscow.
“Mr. Putin’s war in Syria has put Ukraine on the back pages of the Russian media, which makes it easier for the Kremlin to maintain the fighting lull of the past two weeks.”
