Petro Poroshenko is looking for NATO forces' protection.

[CherryPanda]

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg issued a statement saying the offensive "is in utter disregard of the cease-fire." He said Russian troops have been supporting rebel operations with air defense systems, surface-to-air missiles and "advanced multiple rocket launcher systems."

Both Stoltenberg and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged Russia to stop providing the rebels with military and financial support. Mogherini called on Russia to use its influence to halt the offensive.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement Saturday, saying if Russia does not end its support for separatists and "withdraw all weapons, fighters and financial backing," U.S. and international pressure "will only increase." Kerry called the Mariupol assault "horrific" and said he joined his European counterparts in condemning it in the strongest terms.

Separatists currently control key territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions near the Russian border, after launching a rebellion nine months ago against Ukraine rule.

Zakharchenko was quoted in Russian media as saying he saw "no point" in further four-party peace talks. He told Russia's Interfax news agency that the Minsk peace talks format agreed on last year was "a mistake" that "we will not make again."

Separately, Interfax quoted rebel military official Eduard Basurin as saying more than 750 Ukrainian troops had been killed in recent days in the battle for the now-destroyed Donetsk airport.

He said more than 100 Ukraine tanks and other fighting vehicles had also been destroyed. The rebel claims have not been independently confirmed. U.N. officials, relying on reports from the conflict zone, said they had tallied 262 deaths over nine days.

Deadly Shelling Hits Ukraine City as Rebel Offensive Begins

750 servicemen killed and more than 100 tanks and fighting vehicles destroyed for a few days? Do they fight using fake guns and superheroes equipment bought on ebay? It is not surprising that the President of Ukraine has been flirting with the US and NATO since winter 2014.

 

[MACAULAY]

Here's the deal. Putin understands that he has an Empty Suit in the White House...and he is going to keep taking bites out of Obama's ass during his last two years in office. Putin figures in these two years...he can collapse NATO.

Eastern Ukraine is on his menu for now. Soon, it will be a NATO country like Estonia.

Regrettably, Obama is Putin's bitch. But, he only has him for two more years, so look for most anything.

 

[Moonglow]

Here's the deal. Putin understands that he has an Empty Suit in the White House...and he is going to keep taking bites out of Obama's ass during his last two years in office. Putin figures in these two years...he can collapse NATO.

Eastern Ukraine is on his menu for now. Soon, it will be a NATO country like Estonia.

Regrettably, Obama is Putin's bitch. But, he only has him for two more years, so look for most anything.

Putin's bitch, I doubt the ruble can afford a bitch...

 

[buddhallah_the_christ]

It was the stupidest decision of the Ukrainian government, politicians and personally Mr. Poroshenko not to give rights to people in the East of Ukraine and then to confront Russians. The stupidest decision. NATO will never help them. It's not their war.

 

[Stratford57]

It is not surprising that the President of Ukraine has been flirting with the US and NATO since winter 2014.

Why does NATO need such a useless political prostitute like Poroshenko? Today he's flirting with NATO, tomorrow he may start flirting with Russia if the wind changes. He just has bought coal from Russia because all the other countries refused to sell him cheap coal. Who in the world need to back up such a traitor, who does not mind to kill his own people?
From my point of view, Ukrainian Army soldiers and separatist should stand back to back and start shooting Poroshenko and all his clowns.

 

[hipeter924]

America isn't the America of the 1990s, it isn't going to do Europe's dirty work, nor can it afford the economic cost of another confrontation akin to Iraq or Afghanistan.

The mistake NATO and the US made was not sending peacekeepers into Ukraine when the chaos began, and not negotiating the future of Ukraine with Russia directly.

Because of the chaos Russia was able to legitimatize it's stance in the East, and incite full scale rebellion. At least a third of East Ukraine will secede whether the Ukrainian government likes it or not.

The Ukrainian government has only one real choice, which is to give up a large part of the East - or risk losing it all in an endless confrontation with Russian backed rebels.