Foreign Digest: Ukraine and Egypt

Ukraine

            The challenger won the presidential runoff election in Ukraine, defeating the incumbent who has led the former Soviet Republic during its invasion by the Russian Federation.  Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin has already announced plans to grant Russian citizenship to ethnic Russian Ukrainians, which represents a challenge to the incoming government that prefigures the establishment of puppet states in eastern Ukraine, much as Russia has in the breakaway territories of Georgia.  

           Russia had invaded the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and annexed it, in violation of its treaty with Ukraine recognizing the latter’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Putin also backs separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.  There had been a popular revolt against Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin president, who had become increasingly authoritarian and corrupt, as Ukrainians wanted to develop better relations with Western Europe.  Putin has spread propaganda and disinformation about the revolt as undemocratic, foreign-inspired and led by fascists, arguments that will be difficult to make with the incoming centrist government.  Ukraine will have to defend itself and the international community should support Ukrainian sovereignty.

Egypt

           The Egyptian Parliament approved constitutional amendments that would allow the current authoritarian president to remain in office until 2034 and make the powerful military less legally accountable.  There will be a public referendum on the amendments.  Egypt’s President is not Islamist, is anti-terrorist and has maintained good relations with Israel, but his authoritarianism is also evident in numerous ways.  A lack of term limits for the chief executive is typical in illiberal states.