VOA标准英语2014--Meeting in Minsk May Hinge on Putin

 

Meeting in Minsk May Hinge on Putin

MOSCOW—

The Presidents of Russia and Ukraine are expected to meet face-to-face Tuesday in Minsk, along with European leaders, for talks on the situation in Ukraine.

The much-welcomed dialogue could help bring an end to months of deadly clashes between pro-Russia separatists and Ukrainian forces in the country's southeast, analysts² say. But much depends on the actions of one man, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine celebrated³ its independence from the Soviet⁴ Union on Sunday with a parade of the re-strengthened military it hopes will defeat pro-Russia separatists threatening its sovereignty in the southeast.

Fighting this year has left thousands dead and widened a rift⁵ between Russia, Ukraine and Western nations who accuse the Kremlin of supporting the rebels.

Kyiv's show of strength comes just ahead of talks in Belarus between European leaders, the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, and Russia's President, Vladimir Putin.

Peace in Ukraine, as always, rests on the shoulders of Putin, says political analyst¹ and Russian opposition⁶ politician Vladimir Ryzhkov.

“We don't know because no one publicly said, in Kremlin, what real aim of Russia is strategically," Ryzhkov said. "If task is to create new pro-Russian states, or quasi-states, in Donetsk and Luhansk...war could be prolonged for many many months.”

Separatist rebels in Donetsk had their own parade — of Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner.

Germany's leader, Angela Merkel, is pushing for a lasting⁷ cease-fire and discussed the Minsk meeting with Poroshenko in Kyiv.

Germany may be key to negotiations⁸ between the two sides says Viktor Mizin, political scientist at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

“Now that, I mean that, the relations between Moscow and Washington have so much deteriorated¹⁰ that Germany has become, I think for sure, the major interlocutor of Moscow internationally," Mizin said. "And, I think it's a very important role and I think Madame Merkel understands it.”

But in the Ukrainian capital, teachers Yuri and Yulia are less than optimistic that Putin will push the rebels to end the fighting, saying Moscow will reject Ukraine's future ambitions. 

But others say Putin may be in the mood for a deal while he can still claim victory.

If the talks fail to make progress the situation could quickly deteriorate⁹ further.

“And don't forget that this war on Ukrainian territory could jump to Russia," says Moscow Carnegie Center's Alexey Malashenko. "It doesn't mean that it could be the war between some Ukrainia[ns] and Russia.  But, impact on destabilization in Donbas, in Luhansk and around them could impact on Russian territories.”

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

5 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 deteriorate   

v.变坏；恶化；退化

参考例句：

• Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗？
• He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为，这只会使局势更加恶化。

10 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。