THE British Foreign Secretary Hague tweeted his support for the ‘new Ukrainian government’ on Saturday midday along with his German opposite number.
However, there was no such new government in existence.
The desperate Hague was simply trying to make sure that British imperialism got its hands on some of the spoils, following the collapse of the agreement that was negotiated between the Ukrainian President, Yanukovych, and the Polish and other EU Foreign Ministers (with an emissary of President Putin present).
This agreement between the ‘opposition’ and Yanukovych decided on early presidential elections, the restoration of the 2004 constitution, and taking steps to form a national unity government.
The problem for British imperialism is that it played no part in that process. It had been left out in the cold. The Foreign Office was therefore delighted with the Maidan right-wing mob, when it gave the deal the thumbs down and brought massive armed forces, including regional police forces, into the city to retake all government buildings.
Hague then leapt in to support this coup and the ‘new government’.
However, it was only yesterday that a much-reduced parliament, under the gaze and the guns of fascist bands, met and ‘elected’ a new speaker who then announced that a coalition government would have to be formed by Wednesday, with no doubt the ‘old’ opposition leaders on one wing, Tymoshenko in its centre, and the various fascist figures on its right.
Meanwhile, in the east of the country, with about half of the population and all of the country’s industries and ports, the working class is mobilising.
Its government officials met in Kharkov to decide that any ‘directions’ from Kiev are illegal, and that they will run their own affairs.
There is a split however in the force behind the eastern political leadership.
Masses of workers have already formed militias and have condemned Yanukovych, the Party of the Regions, and the Communist Party for being to weak, too soft and allowing the fascists to run riot, offering them compromises that were always taken as a mark of weakness.
In fact, the returning regional riot police forces, back from facing the fascist gunmen in Kiev, were given heroes’ welcomes by thousands who met them.
The working class in the east are not talking about secession – after all they brought down two ‘Orange revolution’ governments, and have the capacity to mobilise the entire Ukrainian working class to crush the coupists. Foreign Secretary Hague, on Sunday, again intervened, stating this time that Britain would support a new government of coupists in Ukraine ‘once one is formed’ and called for an IMF package to help the country recover.
Hague revealed that he was now in close touch with ‘European Union partners’ over what he called the ‘extraordinary developments’ in Ukraine.
He said: ‘We will work closely with our EU partners in support of a new government in Ukraine, as and when that is formed.’ His spokeswoman added, ‘One of the things they talked about was the economic situation and putting together a financial package which will help to stabilise the situation in Ukraine, to enable Ukraine to receive long-term support from the IMF.’
The current conflict erupted when Yanukovych said no to such ‘support’ (robbery).
The United States also offered on Sunday to assist Ukraine in rebuilding.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde said after the G20 meeting that the IMF would also stand ready to help Ukraine, noting the country is an IMF member.
She added: ‘We will be ready to engage, ready to help with the diagnosis of the current situation … before we of course try to go further and play the catalytic role that the IMF typically plays in such situations.’
Lagarde is talking about plundering the Ukraine and destroying major industries. This is what the IMF and the EU are renowned for!
However, Hague is crystal clear that Russia and President Putin must be won over for the imperialist intervention in the Ukraine to succeed. He said yesterday ‘It’s very important for us to try to persuade Russia that this need not be a zero sum game,’ offering the Kremlin a share in the spoils. . .
‘We are in constant discussion with Russia and it’s very important we keep that up, particularly if there’s an economic package it will be important that Russia doesn’t do anything to undermine that economic package and is working in co-operation and support of it.’
The working class in the Ukraine must now take its fate into its own hands. It must organise its workers militias to drive the fascists off the streets and take action to restore Soviet power in the Ukraine.
In this, it must not wait on Putin but appeal to the Russian workers to give them their full and all round support. Forward to Soviet power in the Ukraine and the revolutionary reconstitution of the USSR!
