But then there is the issue of economics.....
The EU is coughing up the money they need...at worse terms than what the Russian Government offered. The pain of the "EU style austerity" may change the populace's view of Russia over time....hey...they did afterall offer the same under less restrictive conditions. The US government assumed due to Putin's want of a re-united "Russia" that he would want ALL of Ukraine...instead, he settled for just Crimea...and figured the rest would come around later. Putin isn't looking for an immediate gain all at once...he is from the KGB, and is patient enough to "wait things out" over time. Take Georgia for an instance....when he invaded (granted Georgia fired the first shots)...you would assume that this would permanently move the country to the "West". Instead, its former President is now in a cushy job in the USA while some his subordinates are now getting nailed for corruption....who want's to bet, later down the line they want more closer ties with Russia?
This isn't the cold war anymore where the two sides sought immediate "alliances". Russia lost the Cold War...and learned, better to let your foe spend its influence and money on futile endeavors. This is the lesson the US Government has not learned....
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