Yep. Putin will need to settle for a cease fire. He should say he will withdraw troops from Ukraine as long as Ukraine recognizes Crimea as Russian territory and Ukraine pledges to remain neutral and not join NATO.
“Yep. Putin will need to settle for a cease fire. He should say he will withdraw troops from Ukraine as long as Ukraine recognizes Crimea as Russian territory and Ukraine pledges to remain neutral and not join NATO.”
A final agreement may well give up Crimea to Russia. And the chances of Ukraine being accepted into NATO are slim to none. The problem, however, is declared neutrality. That necessarily precludes Ukraine from entering into ANY defense treaty, and leaves Ukraine at the mercy of anyone who wants to invade it. As for the risks inherent in declared neutrality, we need not look that far back in history to find a corollary: Belgium in 1914.
Ukraine cannot give up Crimea, there is too much gas and oil off-shore, They could sign an agreement to allow Russia to rent port and shipping space for commerdial shipping rights. This would satisfy Russia’s desire for a significant warm weather port, while restoring Ukraine’s oil and gas rights that were stolen in 2014. A resonable compromise returning to some aspects of use of Crimea pre 2014, except that Russia would retain NO rights to have military equipment or forces on Crimea.