The EU's Ukraine policy and moral bankruptcy

The conversation between EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Estonia's FM revealing Ukraine protesters were shot on the orders of their own leaders is a stinging indictment of the EU's policy towards Ukraine. Brussels has some explaining to do.

We now have a "smoking gun" demonstrating the EU has been and remains in cahoots with fascists and extremists in Kiev. The political fiction that President Viktor Yanukovich ordered sniper attacks has been exposed. There are many (nasty and truly awful) things one can and should say about Yanukovich, but proof he ordered any targeted murders has always been only heresy propagated by Brussels, US Secretary of State John Kerry, and Western mainstream media.

Allow me to quote Urmas Paet, the Estonian foreign minister, from the bugged conversation believed to have taken place on February 26:

"There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers it was not Yanukovich, but it was somebody from the new coalition."

It is pathetic that Kerry only had high praise for this "new coalition" when he visited Kiev today (with the promise of a billion dollar check – or should we describe it as blood money?). It is my opinion that Kerry, Ashton, and US State Department official Victoria Nuland know very well with whom they have decided to anoint as Ukraine's new leaders.

All three of these western officials intentionally overlook the racism, anti-Semitism, and anti-democratic sentiments of the "new coalition" because the rebel government in Kiev is anti-Russia and against ethnic Russians and Russian speakers in Ukraine. That suits the EU and Washington just fine. The West's push into Ukraine has never been about democracy or "civilizational choice" – it is about raw geopolitical power and advantage at the expense of Russia's legitimate security interests.

Instead of being honest and open about the thuggery the West has empowered in Kiev (and wants to invest in!), Western powers and Western media want the world to focus its attention on Crimea. This is a place that Russia has not invaded over the past few days, though it is a place that Russian military forces have been for 15 years under a treaty negotiated and ratified by Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

Since this crisis erupted in Ukraine back in November, we have learned of two bugged phone conversations on how the West's demands will be imposed on the Ukrainian people. I suspect those kinds of conversations happen every day. The public doublespeak and hypocrisy is obvious and dangerous.

Catherine Ashton should resign immediately and an investigation should be started. What else does she know about criminal acts committed in Ukraine? The same applies for Urmas Paet and Nuland, as well. But we all know this will not happen. Why? Because the Brussels gang (not to speak of the epicenter of this moral and political bankruptcy originating in Washington) believes they are all above the law and know what is best for the rest of us.

In light of both these revealed conversations, it is probably not a bad idea that Vladimir Putin's Russia is on the wings to repel anything that Western-sponsored fascists plan for Ukraine and those in Ukraine looking to Moscow for protection.

Peter Lavelle is host of RT's political debate program "CrossTalk" and monthly business program "On the Money." His views are his own and not necessarily those of his employer.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.