Crimea is now part of Russia. The pro-EU leadership in Kyiv is staying.
So what next?
The pragmatist in me thinks that the only viable path is to de-escalate this situation through a declaration of neutrality for Ukraine. Ukraine will not join NATO, Russia will agree not to annex more Ukrainian provinces. Ukraine will be between the East and the West and resources can then be used to stabilize the economy and give the people of Ukraine the opportunity to have a legitimate chance to build a better future. This way Russia’s Eurasian Union will not begin with an aggressive stance against the European Union and tensions between these heavily armed powers will ease. This is the first precondition to the success for the people in the streets of Kyiv. I hope that the demands for transparent political and economic structures is fulfilled, not simply the reestablishment of another set of corrupt systems. Time will tell.