President Obama continues to talk up intervention in the Crimea, insisting that he promised the nation’s interim premier unconditional support for stopping the secession of the Crimea. Obama is sold on moves against Russia and has demanded Russia stop the Crimean referendum for them.
Less on board for the intervention is Ukraine’s own interim president Oleksandr Turchinov, who ruled out military intervention against the region, saying there is no way for Ukraine to force the Crimeans not to secede.
Turchinov was critical of the upcoming referendum, saying it was all Russia’s fault, but he seemed more or less resigned to the fact that it is happening, and said attacking the Crimea would leave their eastern frontier undefended.
The Ukrainian leader seems to be figuring on just not recognizing the vote, and leaving the matter officially unsettled, even if the referendum means de facto Crimean annexation into Russia. The US seems to be on a much more belligerent track, despite having little to no real interest in the Crimea.
