Lavrov on Ukraine

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), one of the two largest quality newspapers in Germany, has published a letter by Sergey Lavrov in today's edition.

While most of the content is known to everyone who has followed the recent Georgian crisis, I would like to quote some words concerning Ukraine:

It is also on the West to make a strategic choice. Forcing Ukraine into the role of a buffer zone between Europe and Russia would mean to downgrade Ukraine. Instead, we should jointly design our relations to the world, in particular because Russia as well as Ukraine are an inseperable element of Europe, its culture, politics, and economy.

I don't agree with many things in this letter, but I at least agree with these lines.

If they would stand alone, they could sound reasonable. However, they are connected to much more confrontational rhethoric, which - not surprisingly - raises doubts over their honesty.