Europe's Wednesday: Tests and Decisions of Peace and of Unity

To say that this Wednesday will be just another day for Europe would be an understatement of the gross kind. Wednesday will prove crucial to the future of the continent because on that day two major events having gargantuan implications to the future of the continent are expected to be decided.

In Minsk, Belarus, an elusive peace to the deepening Ukraine crisis will be debated pitting Russia and its eastern Ukraine separatists against Ukraine with French and German mediation. And come Wednesday, as the sovereign territory of Ukraine is being debated in Minsk, talks will be overshadowed by amassing Russian troops on military exercises in southern Russia close to the Ukraine border.

That Europe has opted not to support arming Ukraine so that it could mount a meaningful national defense against Russian-backed rebels in its east, offers a considerable advantage to Vladimir Putin's show of force close to Ukraine's border, which threatens to escalate an already deepening crisis that Germany feared would have materialized had Ukraine been armed. Yet, an escalation appears imminent through Russian actions and with no new arms to Ukraine. After Wednesday, Russian troops could be on the way to Kiev.

And as if the Ukraine crisis was not enough of a major issue consuming Europe, also on Wednesday, Greece and the Euro zone will meet to discuss whether or not the European Union(EU) and the International Monetary Fund(IMF) would agree to restructure Greek debt. 

Greece has already threatened to seek assistance elsewhere should its demands not be met. As Reuters reported earlier today, Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos(a defense head speaking on economic matters) said: "What we want is a deal. But if there is no deal...and if we see that Germany remains rigid and wants to blow apart Europe, then we have the obligation to go to Plan B. Plan B is to get funding from another source." Earlier this month, Russia said it would assist Greece if asked.

Reports of Russian loans to some right-wing groups across Europe have surfaced recently.Thus, with the rift over Greek debt scheduling and with further austerity concerns also involving Spain and other EU nations, EU unity will face pressure on Wednesday. After Wednesday, Vladimir Putin might emerge as the only one smiling in Europe.