[Alas Babylon!]

Actually, the Donbass region (that is/was in separatists' hands, not all of Donetsk and Luhansk--see map in gray) and Crimea aren't really a huge chunk of Ukraine.

I think that only after a generation since the Soviet Union broke up, they'd have some form of border adjustments based on local popular determination.

Ukraine was trying to force the Donbas Russians to remain in the Ukraine. That has been one of the main rough points between them and the Russians.

[CDB]

Thanks, AB. So much destruction and violence for such a tiny piece of real estate. You’ve lived in Europe for years. Is “trust but verify” a viable option with these people? How many years of peace have Europeans “enjoyed” over the last one-thousand years? Why should America bail these people out yet again?