A bit of a pickle

+Perhaps one solution for the Great Ukrainian Mess (GUM) would be for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to hold a fresh referendum on whether they want independence. Such a referendum was held a few years ago, with 90% saying yes, but that was held in conditions of questionable Russian influence. This time perhaps such referendums could be held under the aegis of the UN (without the participation of NATO countries or Russia). When the original vote of Ukrainians to leave the Soviet Union took place in 1991 (also won with a huge majority in all areas of Ukraine) one wonders how people thought their new country would turn out. As it was, just like Yeltsin’s Russia, Ukraine descended into a morass of corruption and decay. I don’t suppose Donbas people were voting for that when asked about leaving the Soviet Union (which was teetering on the edge anyway). So perhaps the people of Donetsk and Luhansk might with good reason want to form their own republics now. Naturally neither Putin nor the West would want to see another independence referendum (Indyref2) since Putin is happy with the last one and both the UK and Spain have parochial objections to people having their say on such matters. The history of Ukraine has been one of constantly shifting borders and barely sustainable stability or even existence. Clearly this history continues to the present day, and it seems will go on for quite a while yet. If it were possible both sides should back off and let the people decide, but both sides—Putin and NATO—have already invested too much in their obdurate posturing to see sense.
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+Talk about inflation. A few weeks ago, a jar of Garner’s pickled onions in Sainsbury’s was £2.90. It’s now £3.50. And the government is doing nothing about it.