Follow The Money - Winners And Losers In Ukraine

Who Benefits From Ukraine Crisis? (Hint: Not Average Ukrainians)

On March 16, 2014, 83% of the Crimea’s eligible voters have voted by 97% to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. Simultaneously, negotiations between the European Union and IMF with the interim government in the Ukraine, brought to power by a Coup D’etat on February 22, continue toward a conclusion set tentatively for March 21. Extreme political uncertainty thus promises to continue for weeks and perhaps months given these events, while economic conditions consequently continue to deteriorate in the Ukraine from an already extremely precarious state. Most accounts of the situation in the Ukraine and Crimea have focused to date on political events and conditions. Little has been said in the press about the economic consequences of the Coup and subsequent events, or likely scenarios for the future. What interests—in the Ukraine and global (i.e. western Europe, USA, Russia)—stand to benefit economically from recent and future events in the Ukraine? Who stands to lose? There’s a well-worn saying, if you want to find out ‘who benefits’, then “follow the money trail”.

That is the start of an article written from the standpoint of a keen observer of the capitalist system. he breaks it down into several sections covering IMF deals, what Russia has to lose, what the US has to gain, the mixed bag for the EU, the plans of US and EU multinational corporations, the connections between Ukrainian and US capitalists, and finally the big losers - the Ukrainian economy and people.

Full article here by Jack Rasmus