Many replies on this thread display a lack of critical thinking on a breath taking level. The Ukraine is a sovereign country and Putin is a thug determined to end that country’s autonomy and the pro Russian victors will cleanse the non-Russians that remain. The Jews? Well they aren’t really Russians are they?
USA/NATO’s aim of sowing conflict ‘between EU and Russia’ is irresponsible!..... And you better believe Europe is pretty much silent concerning Russia because they are more interested in a future relationship with Russia/China and the rest of Asia then they are the USA.
Why should it be considered strange that Putin reacts to “NATO’s enlargement”... which is encircling the Black Sea. ....And Why did no European leader met face to face with Putin as Sarkozy did on Georgia-Russia war in 2008, until recently when they sent Merkel of Germany in?...... And further why were US Senators meddling in the affairs of the EU/Russia relationship to begin with, parading around Ukraine during the protests...just what kind of message were they sending to Russia? They had no business doing so regarding Ukraine....this was an EU/Russia affair over Ukraine..and a terrible mistake when the US told them they had to choose between Russia's proposal and the EU's proposal from the very beginning...rather than allowing things to work out among the interested parties.
Additionally Ukraine has never been an autonomous country, as you alluded to..., its ‘profoundly’ divided by history, ethnicity, marriage, economics.... Half think it'd be better off with, or at least not without, Russia,.... the others prefer Europe.
All you have to do is look at our own borders and the “differences” between our relationship and peoples of Canada and those of Mexico to understand what's happening in Ukraine. There is likewise these differences “within” Ukraine and East from West.
They're cut from the same cloth as the democrats in the US, laws are for "those other people".
Some would then point to Russia's fascists, which they have every right to do, and should.
But Ukraine is a much smaller country, needs the U.S's help. And so if they want IMF funds, then they need to first get rid of ALL Svoboda in gov’t and rein in ALL right Sector.