>The issue is that Ukraine refuses to allow for the self-determination of the Crimea and Donbass since Euromaidan.
Wow, just wow. And how exactly were they supposed to do that?
The unity government was declared on 24th February and was formally convened on 27th February 2014.
How long did Russia wait to see if the new government would accept regional referendums?
Well, Russian forces seized control of key strategic sites across Crimea on, er, 27th February 2014. The same day the new government formed. The idea that genuine free and fair regional referendums were ever an option, or even something Russia had any interest in pursuing or allowing whatsoever, is pure fiction.
Suppose the regions did hold referendums and chose to stay part of Ukraine, do you think that would have been the end of it? Russia would have just backed off and respected Ukrainian sovereignty? That's just not how the Russian leadership thinks. Putin had no interest in allowing even the possibility of any such thing.
Isn't that up to them? I mean the Ukrainians? It's not as if the west is forcing them against their will to keep on fighting for their country and freedom.
In the first months of the war hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians returned to their country to sign up to fight. We either support them, or abandon them to their fate. I don't see how you can credibly claim that abandoning them, despite their appeals for support, is better for them and in their interests. It's clearly in the interests of the Russian government, but why should the west care about that?
Sending UN peace keepers is a nice idea, but unfortunately Russia is a permanent member of the UN security council, with a veto.
Wow, just wow. And how exactly were they supposed to do that?
The unity government was declared on 24th February and was formally convened on 27th February 2014.
How long did Russia wait to see if the new government would accept regional referendums?
Well, Russian forces seized control of key strategic sites across Crimea on, er, 27th February 2014. The same day the new government formed. The idea that genuine free and fair regional referendums were ever an option, or even something Russia had any interest in pursuing or allowing whatsoever, is pure fiction.
Suppose the regions did hold referendums and chose to stay part of Ukraine, do you think that would have been the end of it? Russia would have just backed off and respected Ukrainian sovereignty? That's just not how the Russian leadership thinks. Putin had no interest in allowing even the possibility of any such thing.