[StAnDeliver]

"the number of ethnic Russians in the Ukraine are part of the issue as well."

Don't forget this is part and parcel of the problem - in the last century, Russians weren't just encouraged to move there, they were told to move there (preview of what was to come here with Mexico). Russia's continuous Cossack vs. Polonisation cannot be rewarded, and Russia is going to have to undo some of that damage in a future Donbass-Crimea Treaty.

[RedWulf]

The Russian areas of the Ukraine where never inhabitanted by Ukrainians. Those areas where added to the state to make sure Russians where always the majority in the Ukraine.

The proper solution is partition along ethic lines, which the Russians have largely done.