Okay, ladies and gents, this will be long, so get a cup of coffee or tea and some cookies.
First of all, Ukrainian soldiers are still dying so that others may go on with their lives. Mariupol, Horlivka, Ilovaisk, Debaltseve, Kramatorsk, Donetsk and others, we will never forget them.
Second of all, Ukraine isn´t divided and isn´t thrown into a civil war. Yes, Poroshenko is a dumbass and Ukrainian people will make him accountable for all his stupid decisions. One day, not now – now they´ve got bigger problems. Search for a map, as far as I´m concerned even the map from the heat of this war from the summer of 2014, the front lines have moved eastwards since then. We´re talking here about two “separatists” oblast in the entire country (the quotation marks are used intentionally here, since I do not believe in a separatist-whatsoever in this war).
Third of all, people who think that the war in Ukraine is the chessboard of some US-Russian geopolitical Dame game which marginalizes Europe, should repeat all history classes at elementary school.
History itself, two world wars, waves of immigration, had impact on the functioning of states in Eastern Europe, and their problematic post-Soviet development. In the case of Ukraine, they still do. I´m a Machiavellian, by the way, I believe in political struggle in the name of a greater good using any means available including violence, if necessary, regardless of any moral principles. The crisis began on 21st November 2013 with – in spite of what some people believe – spontaneous protests on Maidan, and was inflamed by the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian army. And I dare say that it has developed into a European crisis. The EU has its share of responsibility – not only in its complicated, sometimes ambivalent approach towards the East and Russia, but also because of the so called Eastern Partnership. In its spirit the EU offered the Association Agreement to Ukraine – which implementation the government in Russia couldn´t even imagine (with Ukraine being in its sphere of influence and all). On the other hand, who are we to think we can dictate what another country wants and needs – these are thoughts that belong to the post-war division of the world, not here and now. If Ukraine wants to freely trade with Russia, EU and US, it should be allowed to do so. As I told once to a colleague during a "NATO: Yes or No" debate: there´s a difference between Warsaw Pact and NATO. We have chosen to be a member of NATO. Do you see the similarities here?
To get back on the subject. The Association Agreement is very similar to the European Economic Area which includes Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. These states are not EU members, nevertheless, they are part of the EU single market, and thus, essentially, they automatically implement the union´s legislation which “governs” several of their inner political, industrial, legal, economic etc. areas. To sum up, Russia has a fair share of responsibility for Ukraine too. Russia has always done both European and global politics (come to think of it, not so different from, for example, Turkey). The Crimea was a short circuit, a manifestation of its weakness, not strength. You want to govern another country, sure, try and send an army there. If they´re weak like we were in 1968, you will be lucky and remain there for decades. If they´re willing to fight, however… Had Russia not invaded Ukrainian soil but proceeded as it does now in Donbas (imagine it without the Crimea scenario, more like Georgia in 2008 or Kosovo in 1999 or any other low profile military operation before that), it would have had much more leverage to influence and shape Ukraine´s political routing on the inside and on the outside. I know, I know, Putin probably planned Crimea in his pretty little awesome head during his early years by the secret service (so the rumor goes), but Crimea was not a decision that would maintain Ukraine as its partner – or a substantial part of it. And above all, the price of this decision is huge. The economic situation in the area is worsening, peace is nowhere in sight (and it won´t be; my personal bet: Donbas becomes a buffer zone for the time being, same as South Ossetia) and Putin has brought this problem to his home. It was the stupidest decision in his career and it´ll be his end.
Russia gained Crimea (and maybe Donbas), but lost Ukraine. Ukraine lost Crimea, but gained itself.