“Coups have consequences. In this case, those in Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk wanted independence or some level of autonomy.”
You fail to see that the coup, your term, is the overthrow of a lawful government through illegal means as what Russia attempted to accomplish in Donetsk and Lugansk.
An interesting time-capsule is clearly presented in the illegal 2014 coup is found in the photo journalism series “Russian Roulette in Ukraine.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNKsLlK52ss&list=PLw613M86o5o5zqF6WJR8zuC7Uwyv76h7R
Huh? The illegal act was the Maidan revolution, that WE fomented, that through democratically-elected President out of office via an insurrection.
And, no, disenfranchised by an illegal coup shouldn't have to remain part of a government formed illegal.
But, look at the hypocrisy here. We support independence of Kosovo but reject for Donetsk and Lugansk. We condemn the alleged J6 insurrection but supported the insurrection in Ukraine.
If you can't see the double standards, you don't want to.
We should never have stuck our noses in Ukraine to begin with.