“The very LAST thing we would want to see is a divided Ukraine where the Western half is a dependent, welfare state of the EU with a far richer neighbor in the east to be jealous of. “
LOL!!! Personally. I would LOVE to see that. Russia, which from an economic standpoint is basically Mexico with nukes and an attitude problem, is going to create a far richer procterate area, than a free and independent western ukraine with open trade with a market 5 times the size of Russia? Good luck with that. Personally i think people re playing up split a bit much here. I don’t think either the Russians or most Ukrainians outside of Crimea actually want to split the country.
They don't make anything in the west and don't grow anything either. There's been little/no investment there and there's very little capital in the EU to get them off the ground.
Dream on.
They'll be "free" and destitute.