From the onset of the Ukrainian crisis, Putin’s objective has been to secure enough autonomy for Ukraine’s Russian-speaking east that the region can keep its close ties to Russia — and to prevent Ukraine from ever joining NATO.
Putin couldn’t afford to see the insurgents defeated, and the rebel counter-offensive sharply turned the tide, raising the prospect of Ukraine losing more territory and making Kiev more interested in negotiations.
Putin reportedly countered in a phone conversation with European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso, saying if he had wanted an invasion, he could have taken the Ukrainian capital in two weeks.
Ukrainian troops — …read more
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
