“Putin has asked Russia’s parliament to revoke a law authorising him ‘to use military force’ in Ukraine...”
When asked about this, Putin said “Lugansk is not part of Ukraine....” That likely applies to Donetsk, as well, as the Russian position.
IMO, he is making it clear he doesn’t want to invade “Ukraine”, namely Kiev, (Why would he want to swallow an even greater economic basket case?), by revoking his already “legally approved” right to do so, at the same time laying the ground for helping the DPR/LPR.
He can say that he has “done everything he could” to assure peace, and must now act.
Crimea, Lugansk, and Donetsk, the majority-ethnic Russian areas, end up in the Russian sphere of influence and control, along with almost all of the economic assets (coal,gas, nickel, the steel mills, the defense industries, etc.) the IMF wanted to “assure” its loans to Ukraine, and Europe gets to deal with the corrupted and bankrupted rest of the country.
Eventually, a disgruntled populace in Ukraine, again on the losing end, and watching things get worse economically after they were promised cake and roses, again overthrows the Gov and returns to the Russian sphere. Or get folded into Poland, Romania and Hungary.
All because of the meddling billionaires, and Obama’s failed foreign policies.
Machiavelli must be smiling from above, he could have written the scenario himself.
Had Putin wanted to invade he would have done so long beforehand.....and had the EU/US really wanted Ukraine under Nato that too would have been done long ago. Ukrainians were taken for a ride, courted and coerced... to their own ruin yet again, unfortunately. Your wrote:...."Crimea, Lugansk, and Donetsk, the majority-ethnic Russian areas, end up in the Russian sphere of influence and control, along with almost all of the economic assets (coal,gas, nickel, the steel mills, the defense industries, etc.)....the IMF wanted to “assure” its loans to Ukraine, and Europe gets to deal with the corrupted and bankrupted rest of the country."
and continued:...."Eventually, a disgruntled populace in Ukraine, again on the losing end, and watching things get worse economically after they were promised cake and roses, again overthrows the Gov and returns to the Russian sphere. Or get folded into Poland, Romania and Hungary...........All because of the meddling billionaires, and Obama’s failed foreign policies."
And that's exactly how it will play out as I see it too.