U.S. gives Putin a green light: Other views

David Frum, CNN: "President Obama was very wrong in his speech in Brussels on March 26 to suggest that the United States had no national interest in Ukraine. What's at stake in Ukraine is the peace and stability of the European continent, an issue over which the United States fought two world wars. Yet the president has signaled to Russia that it need not fear any very robust U.S. or NATO response to its depredations in Ukraine. … When a president announces that he does not think a foreign aggressor's actions can be deterred, what message does that foreign aggressor hear? 'Green light!' Unsurprisingly, Russia is driving right through that green light."

Fred Kaplan, Slate: "Contrary to appearances, the crisis in Ukraine might be on the verge of resolution. The potentially crucial move came (Monday) when interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said that he would be open to changing the country's political system from a republic, with power centered in the capital Kiev, to a federation with considerable autonomy for the regional districts. That has been one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's key demands. It would weaken the political leaders in Kiev, many of whom want a stronger alliance with the West. ... If Putin can win this demand — and the political, economic and cultural inroads it would provide — an invasion would be not just be unnecessary, it'd be loony. War is politics by other means, and a revamping of Ukraine's power structure would accomplish Putin's political aims by less costly means."

Matthew Kaminski, The Wall Street Journal: "Any revolution brings a hangover. Ukrainians expected problems: an economic downturn, some of the old politics-as-usual in Kiev, including fisticuffs last week in parliament, and trouble from Russia. Abandonment by the West is the unexpected blow. ... When Russia invaded Crimea and massed 40,000 or more troops in the east, Ukraine turned to an old friend, the United States, and asked for light arms, anti-tank weapons, intelligence help and non-lethal aid. The Obama administration agreed to deliver 300,000 meals-ready-to-eat. … The U.S. Army won't save Slovyansk. But Ukraine expects and deserves America's support by every other means that Washington has refused so far. Betrayal is an ugly word and an uglier deed. Europe and the U.S. will pay dearly for it."