[type0]

> Why? The real reason is Russia united with Europe would enable a true Eurasian competitor to the USA to arise.

You have to be joking, have you been in Russia and EU countries at the time? Europe an Russia are incompatible always been, always will be. Ukraine is a culturally European country because for centuries it has been egalitarian autonomous and self sufficient, since the times of Ukranian Cossacks. Russia and Muscovy culture is authoritarian, so it's that simple.

[morpheos137]

You have to be joking. Ukraine has existed as a "country" only for a few decades.

The very name means borderland. Pull up a map from 1930 show me the country Ukraine? How about 1830? How about 1730 (then a big part was still under the Turks). How about 1630?

America has existed as a country longer than Odessa has been a city.

[type0]

> Ukraine has existed as a "country" only for a few decades.

So what, Canada only existed as a "country" for a few decades, maybe US military should bomb their cities and take it then.

[Synaesthesia]

The USA certainly tried to, but were rebuffed by the superpower of the time, Britain.

Anyway, back on topic, I don't think the corruption in Ukraine can be denied. Its every hit as bad as in Russia, and it could also be a wealthy country.

It's slightly more democratic than Russia, but only slightly.

[nickpp]

How many distinct leaders in the last 20 years did Ukraine have and how many Russia?

It’s not just "slightly" more democratic.

[Synaesthesia]

How many journalists have been killed? It's actually comparable, as is the level if oligarch dominance of the media and many aspects of life.