Does that include withdrawing from Crimea, which was annexed in 2014 and held a plebiscite that overwhelming favored rejoining Russia?
The separatist Eastern provinces have been fighting for over 8 years against the central government, which has had no control over these provinces since 2014. Ukraine signed the Minsk Agreement in 2015 that promised to give these provinces more autonomy. The Ukraine never implemented the agreements. What happens to these provinces going forward?
“Does that include withdrawing from Crimea, which was annexed in 2014 and held a plebiscite that overwhelming favored rejoining Russia?”
See how that works? A powerful bully takes your house, occupies it, and then asks you if you are okay with it (all the while that bully is looking at your family, while brandishing a gun). Are you going to tell that bully “F**k off! Get the hell out of my house!”; or, are you going to say, “Mmmmkay; but be gentle with my wife and daughters.” Crimea had no real choice in the matter.
It’s interesting that the international community and the UN do not recognize or accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Why do you think that is?
“The separatist Eastern provinces have been fighting for over 8 years against the central government, which has had no control over these provinces since 2014.”
Those separatist provinces started a civil war, which is usually what happens when an area denounces its government and declares its intention to align itself with another country. They didn’t just declare autonomy; they declared civil war.
“Ukraine signed the Minsk Agreement in 2015 that promised to give these provinces more autonomy. The Ukraine never implemented the agreements.”
Ukraine concluded they were rigged. Russia had troops in Ukraine, and along with separatist forces surrounded Ukrainian units; and when the Russian forces did not withdraw back to Russia, Ukraine cried Foul! Russia said it (Russia) was not a signatory to the Minsk Agreements and thus was not bound by their conditions. Ukraine said, “Screw this!”
This is a civil war. And Russia picked a side and physically and kinetically joined in. The West picked a side, as well, and sent arms and assistance (but committed no troops, unlike Russia).
Russia is in the wrong in this. It invaded a smaller and weaker neighboring country that posed no real threat.
And that is the game in a nutshell.