Can we talk intelligently about Russia and Ukraine?

[joshcryer]

23. Poroshenko is the head of the government.

And Poroshenko has called for new elections after the terrorist crisis is over. So the trajectory for Ukraine's government is to have a fully elected parliament and cabinet removing any remnants of the intrim government from power. Point of fact, Poroshenko already removed Yatsenyuk's right sector military cabinet because they failed to achieve results (probably because a couple of right sector activists don't have military experience).

I don't think Ukraine has a choice whether or not to combat the separatists. The US did not have a choice when it came to our Civil War. Ukraine allowed Crimea to be annexed in the heat of the crisis but as they formed their new government they saw that, in fact, the separatists are without any muscle, it's all a fascade, they don't have popular support, and any assistance they have from Russia is on the decline thanks to the terrorist act shooting down a plane.

As far as whether or not the US should support the elected Ukraine President and the remnants of the elected parliament? Why shouldn't the US support it? The US should support it and call for new parliament elections to fill the space left by fleeing oligarchs in the Party of Regions and perhaps replacements for the Communists who did not hold their duty and suspiciously allowed right sector fascists to get on the cabinet even though they had the votes to prevent it.