[Girlene]

It should be noted Putin stressed again the use of force in Ukraine would be a very last resort. Obviously, all legal and diplomatic means to attain a political solution would have to be exhausted first. But its significant Russia is not closing off that option.

And what political solution would that be? Annexing eastern Ukraine? That is a "political" solution?

That's a political solution just as much as getting another person's wallet by holding a gun to their head.

[grania]

I’m thinking that maybe the best deal for Putin isn’t in annexing much more, if any, of what’s left of Ukraine. He’s already gotten the most important part.