News / Interviews

US, NATO main beneficiaries of crisis in Crimea: Pundit

Saturday, 20 August 2016 9:35 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 20 August 2016 9:35 AM ]

A Ukrainian paratrooper walks among the ruins of a building destroyed by pro-Russian forces in Donetsk on August 14, 2016. (AFP photo)

Press TV has interviewed Brian Becker, with the ANSWER Coalition from Washington, and Bob Ayers, a former US intelligence officer from Somerset, UK to discuss the new round of tension between Russia and Ukraine over the situation in the Crimea Peninsula.

Becker charged that Ukraine's tactics in the Crimean Peninsula was destabilizing the region and pushing it into a new 'Cold War'.

“The main beneficiaries for the unrest in Crimea are US arms contractors who are salivating and talking literally this is a great business for us,” he told "The Debate" program on Friday night.

Becker said NATO and US military budgets had increased dramatically as a result of tensions in Crimea, a former Ukrainian territory which rejoined Russia after a referendum in 2014.

Tensions between Kiev and Moscow began to soar last week when Russia accused Ukraine of an attempted armed incursion into Crimea.

Ukraine wants to join NATO amid the Western military alliance's expansionist policies in Eastern Europe, which Russia deems a threat to its national interests.

After the 2014 coup in Ukraine, Becker said, the people of Crimea felt they were being threatened by a change of policy in Ukraine which also threatened Russia's military presence in the region.

"Thus, the people of Crimea held a referendum and decided to re-affiliate with Russia," he said.

Ayers dismissed Russia’s accusations against Ukraine, saying the claim that Kiev was staging a military incursion into Crimea was “nonsense.”

He said Ukraine wanted to join NATO, "but not to attack Russia and then the claim of Ukrainian threat against the Russians is propaganda because Russia is not encircled."

Violence subsided in eastern Ukraine after a ceasefire agreement was reached in February 2015 between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France in Minsk. However, sporadic clashes continue on the frontline, with the two sides accusing each other of violating the truce.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk