I believe 100% that Putin wants to take over all of Ukraine, but will be happy with the East. However, you realize it’s best if this administration does nothing don’t you? I mean, they don’t do anything without ensuring their actions will hurt American interests.
I think Ukraine aught to just give up the East, but that’s their business. We should just let this play out.
Putin is overplaying his hand. The more anarchy and mayhem the Russians astroturf in the east the less local support they will have for intervention. They never had majority support for separatism. If they had majority support Putin would have allowed the May 25 elections to proceed.
Would you want to ruled by a government who gives guns to the killers of your city councilman? Ukraine may be a mess economically but with each Russian supported atrocity nostalgia for Soviet times evaporates in the east.