I Had a Good Day

University - 10

Thursday & Friday - week 3

I bring Oksana her second cup of coffee not long after the first. She knows this is the signal to get up and join the day.

She moans a little, but I am growing accustomed to her moans. I take her by the hand, lead her to bathroom. I run shower and, when it is hot enough, gently propel her under it. I showered more than an hour ago. I am ready to dress.

Which I do while Oksana is in shower.

I do not think I have ever met someone so unadapted to mornings. It would be very annoying, if it were not so sweet. Still, I must be firm or we will never get anything done.

I make more coffee. I lay out some breakfast for Oksana. I tidy up apartment while I wait for her to be ready.

We have deliberately chosen Wednesdays for our midweek date nights, as Thursdays are the only mornings when neither of us has a lecture, tutorial or essay group scheduled. It takes a lot of the stress out of the awakening process, and affords us a little time together before we launch into the day.

Eventually, she is ready and we set off for campus. It is nice to stroll together through the midmorning city. The first rush gone. But there is still some bloom on the day. We divert via my favourite deli, to get some rolls for lunch. A treat. And coffees to take out. A necessity, in view of the standard of coffee substitute provided in the campus canteen.

We part on campus, with a promise to meet again Saturday night. I say, come early to apartment, I will get in something for us to eat. Oksana smiles, OK. She heads off to her lecture on business reputation management. I go to see my Journalism tutor.

The proposed field trip to Donbas is firming up. Departure will be a week today. We will have a meeting tomorrow, and a full military briefing Tuesday next week.

I eat my lunch with my tutor. Then a brief time in library before lectures in afternoon. Watching the political situation unfold in UK is fascinating. And now more scandal about what President Trump said to President Zelenskiy about delaying US aid.

After lectures, I spent about another hour in library. Then back to apartment. It is quiet evening, studying, making essay notes and some progress with essay.

I check in with friends on SW and fall sleep.

Friday is just another day. Up and out early to campus. Lectures and study time in library.

Significant event is meeting for Donbas field trip. Six of us are going - producer, camera, sound, presenter, editor/researcher, writer (me). Three girls, three guys. We leave Thursday lunchtime, drive east about 200km to military barracks. There we will change into military uniforms and equipment. Leave all personal comms - phones, tablets, laptops - which we cannot carry in war zone.

Army will provide heavy duty cameras, recording equipment for us to use. This is all specially adapted for use in war zone. We will then join military convoy to travel about another 600km to front. We will stop overnight at a military encampment and complete journey Friday morning. We will return to Kyiv after six of seven days, depending on army transport capacity.

On the way home, I call at sushi shop, buy a selection of items for tomorrow night. Then to deli, for a couple of fresh made pizzas. One with salami, one with red and yellow peppers, onions. I can easily heat these in my oven.

Back in apartment, I put food in refrigerator and settle in for evening. Some friends were going out for beer, but I am too tired to watch people getting drunk. I have a coffee and some salad. Apple.

Just before 20:00 I call Papa, Mama, to tell them about field trip. Mama is quite stoical, warns me to be careful. Papa's immediate reaction, do you want me to see if i can get you out of this? I don't laugh, but explain that i really want to do it. Then he is ok, suggests some stuff to take to front for soldiers there, bring them some happiness. It is good idea.

We exchange other news about home and university. The village is collecting money to buy new car for priest. Papa has confirmed booking for ski lodge outside Bukovel for ten days after Christmas. I have letter about flying club membership.

Then I settle down again to enjoy evening with my own company. More study, some leisure reading. Chat with friends on SW.

Go to bed thinking about tomorrow.

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

Is this good news-perhaps Yulia can give us some thoughts when she returns?
Ukraine agrees to ‘Steinmeier Formula,’ green-lights elections in occupied Donbas
Members of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine – Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Oct. 1 agreed to a peace process known as the “Steinmeier Formula,” green-lighting local elections in the Russian-controlled regions of Donbas.

The agreement envisages that the occupied areas of eastern Ukraine get a special self-governing status after they hold local elections. The elections have to take place in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and be approved by the OSCE.

A key condition for the elections to take place is for the Russian forces and Russian-backed militants to leave the territory and for Ukraine to regain control over the eastern border with Russia, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky

“There will be no elections ‘at the gunpoint’,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv on Oct. 1. “If someone (militants) will be there, there will be no elections.”

The elections in the occupied zone will be monitored by the OSCE and conducted by the Ukrainian Central Election Commission. Ukrainian observers, independent press and political organizations must be permitted to take part in the electoral process.

If the OSCE concludes that the election was fair, the region will receive self-governance instantly.

Zelensky didn’t specify what kind of self-governance the regions will obtain.

Before the election can take place, there must be a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and the Russia-backed militants in the Donbas, according to Zelensky.

The governments of Ukraine and Russia have been widely discussing the so-called “Steinmeier Formula,” a peace plan proposed by the German president back in 2016, for the past several months.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier proposed the formula during his time as German foreign minister, when it became clear that the Minsk peace agreement signed in February 2015, failed.

The formula was simple: hold elections in the occupied territories under Ukrainian legislation and the supervision of OSCE, and if the organization deems these elections free and fair, then the special status of these regions will kick in.

In September, Zelensky planned to discuss the formula during the Normandy Four meeting – leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine, yet the meeting never occurred.

Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, in a comment to Kyiv Post on Sept. 15, said that even though all sides are willing to discuss Steinmeier’s proposals, the level of these talks may be lowered to avoid responsibility.

“The Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine will probably sign it,” said Fesenko.

“I don’t see Ukraine as the losing side of such a process. Starting this process is more important. Creating the conditions for such elections would amount for the return of Ukraine’s state apparatus to the currently occupied territories,” said Andreas Umland, senior research fellow at the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, in a September comment to Kyiv Post.