Every Ukrainian I have spoken with about the Ukrainian troops in Iraq all seem sure that if things really got nasty with the U.S. and Russia the Ukrainian troops in Iraq would be fighting with Russia in one fashion or another. I am not sure how many Ukrainian troops are in Iraq or where they are but they are definitely combat ready soldiers that know how to fight.
After watching recent events in Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and the Ukraine unfold; Lukashenko of Belarus is ready to do some serious talking regarding the formation of a Russia-Belarus Union.
-Am
Belarus Pres says ready to discuss most complex issues with Putin.
01.04.2005, 21.51
BARANOVICHI, Belarus, April 1 (Itar-Tass) - President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus said Friday he is ready do discuss highly complex problems with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to do it in a most positive tonality. “We have complex problems and we’ll discuss them in the most positive tonality, without rebuking each other for anything,” Lukashenko said while visiting the western Brest region. The block of problems to be discussed will be formulated in the coming few days, he said, adding that their talks would mostly focus on cooperation in the field of security and defense. Lukashenko recalled Belarus and Russia were forming a joint military grouping and Russian military units would soon take part in a massive military exercise on Belarussian territory. He also said creation of the Russia-Belarus Union State would be high on the agenda of the forthcoming meeting. “We agreed to take off the agenda the draft project of the Union State treaty that doesn’t satisfy Russia and the problem of the single currency that doesn’t satisfy Belarus,” Lukashenko said. He indicated, however, that some complex economic issues would be discussed all the same. Putin and he will dwell on the final stage of construction of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, and Belarus is ready to meet Russia’s requests in that area, Lukashenko said. In the social sphere, the two presidents are due to discuss the pensions system, taxation, healthcare, and education.
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