BUSTED - Wikileaks Cable Proves That US Knew What Was At Stake For Ukraine Since 2008

A Wikileaks cable that was featured in the Greek press on Thursday and dated February 1st, 2008 under code 08MOSCOW265_a, clearly -and without a shadow of a doubt- proves that the United States was fully aware of what a pro-western pull on the Ukraine would mean in the long-term.

The message was sent as confidential by US ambassador to Moscow William J. Burns, to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, NATO – European Union Cooperative, the National Security Council, Russia Moscow Political Collective, the US Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State. (quite interestingly, Burns had also served as US Ambassador to Athens in the early 90s.)

In the controversial message the ambassador notes that the situation has been spelled out by Russian FM Sergei Lavrov of what it would mean for the Ukraine to be drawn further into a western sphere of influence.

The document lists as its subject: “NYET MEANS NYET: RUSSIA'S NATO ENLARGEMENT REDLINES.”

As explained in the document summary, “following a muted first reaction to Ukraine's intent to seek a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) at the Bucharest summit, Foreign Minister Lavrov and other senior officials have reiterated strong opposition, stressing that Russia would view further eastward expansion as a potential military threat. NATO enlargement, particularly to Ukraine, remains "an emotional and neuralgic" issue for Russia, but strategic policy considerations also underlie strong opposition to NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia.

Particularly for Ukraine, these include fears that the issue could potentially split the country in two, leading to violence or even, some claim, civil war, which would in return force Russia to decide whether to intervene.

Additionally, the GOR and experts continue to claim that Ukrainian NATO membership would have a major impact on Russia's defense industry, Russian-Ukrainian family connections, and bilateral relations generally.

Basically it shows that Sergei Lavgrov warned the US -SIX YEARS AGO- that the Russian bear was convinced that enlargement was not based on security reasons, but was a legacy of the Cold War.

Burns:

     “tell us that Russia is particularly worried that the strong divisions in Ukraine over NATO membership, with much of the ethnic-Russian community against membership, could lead to a major split, involving violence or at worst, civil war. In that eventuality, Russia would have to decide whether to intervene; a decision Russia does not want to have to face.”

The cable basically proves that the West was well aware of what was at stake if they pursued NATO expansion towards the East, or in this case in the Ukraine, but they nonetheless continued to do so.

Read the full Wikileaks Cable By Clicking HERE

The following panel discussion on RT also touches this controversy.