Bill Clinton backs economic sanctions on Russia

Former US president lashes out Russia’s decision to go-ahead with the referendum vote, using strong words to criticise the Russian President Valadimir Putin.

Former US president Bill Clinton drummed up support for Obama’s foreign policy, calling European countries to step-up pressure by placing financial sanctions on Russia.

“I think right now he (Obama) is doing all he can. If he wants to do more, Europe has to go with him because we could actually make what Russia is doing quite costly to them, but only with European support,” said Clinton.

On Sunday, Crimea voted heavily in favour of joining Russia, with an overwhelming 96.7 per cent voting to break off from Ukraine.

“It is a very dangerous situation and it is unnecessary. In the end, it is going to hurt Russia more than it helps Russia — politically and economically,” remarked Clinton.

He lashed out Russia’s decision to go-ahead with the referendum vote, using strong words to criticise the Russian President Valadimir Putin.

He questioned Putin’s hopes of “restoring Russia’s greatness and standing in the world”. “When I was the president 20 years ago, I signed an agreement that we helped write with Ukraine and Russia — in which Ukraine gave up all its nuclear weapons and sent it to Russia for security and Russia promised to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Now, president Putin says the situation has been aggravated by the proto-fascist elements in the Ukranian upheaval.”

The referendum has put US and Russia on a collision course with the White House refusing to recognise the Crimea vote. Western media has termed the current situation as the ‘most dangerous security crisis’ faced by Europe since decades.

“They( Russians) believe if they take Crimea in this trumped up referendum, may-be depending on what’s going on now — they will cut-off gas to Ukraine and maybe to anybody in Western Europe who helps them (Ukraine). That’s a good way to define ‘Russian greatness in the 21st century’.”

Clinton expressed his faith in restoring Ukraine’s sovereignty by pushing dialogue, calling the referendum ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘farce’.

“Ukraine is an important country. There are 46 million people living there. Two-thirds of them are native Ukranians and they don’t deserve this. All they wanted was the right to determine their own future and they should have that.” Clintons remarks came in a talk with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria at a dinner hosted by GEMS Education as part of the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai. “I hope and pray before this thing gets any worst that Russia can be persuaded not to force Ukraine to either be divided or be an either-or country — but to be a bridge country.”

muaz@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE