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Between 1994 and 1996, Ukraine surrendered the world’s third largest nuclear weapons stockpile to Russia for dismantling in return for promises of territorial protection made by the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China. This was called the Budapest Memorandum.

Now 20 years later, those five signatories have completely reneged on their promise to keep Ukraine intact. The defenseless country is under siege from Russia and next week, on May 25, an election will be held to determine its future. The prospects are far from propitious. The last President of Ukraine was driven out of power but managed to disarm the country further by selling its military equipment, for personal profit, to African dictators.

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Another nation-state culprit is Germany. The world’s most reluctant super-power has done nothing because it’s been politically and economically co-opted by Russia.

Its former chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, sits on the board of Moscow’s giant Gazprom, is close to President Vladimir Putin (describes him as a “flawless democrat”) and is a backroom obstructionist to sanctions or actions.