It wouldn't stop the sanctions, but only increase them. It might spur military mobilization in NATO as well and while Putin is tough with Georgians and Crimeans, he can't win a war with NATO. Everything depends on whether Putin, despite his brinksmanship, is pragmatic in the long run . . . or if he is an irrational nut job. I suspect his own people wonder.
I trust Putin to do what best serves his interests. He knows that no one is going to attack him because of the ICBMs he controls, which is why he won't attack us directly either. He will keep pushing things until his assets are frozen at which point he will smack the shit out of whatever country he occupies until we relent or they run out of people to kill. Someone needs to call Seal Team 6.
This is chilling. http://www.businessinsider.com/puti...um=email&utm_source=alerts&nr_email_referer=1 Looks like Putin thinks there is more opportunity to be had.
Putin is a fool. Now that he has Crimea, the remaining Russians in Ukraine constitute less than 15% of the population, mostly in border towns. He is driving Ukraine into the West where it will cling to Europe like a barnacle.
