While it is very late in the game, it is not too late to return Ukraine to the path of European integration.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, enraged by President Viktor Yanukovych's recent rejection of painstakingly negotiated trade agreements with the European Union, continue to protest Yanukovych's apparent turn toward Moscow and the corruption and cronyism of his government. There is a clear danger that the demonstrations will escalate, bloodshed will ensue and Ukraine's fragile democracy will unravel.
The Obama administration is doing a good job of crisis management — stressing the need to respect the right of peaceful assembly and urging calm — but that is not enough. It is essential for the United States to exercise strong leadership, reverse Yanukovych's turn toward Moscow and spur Ukraine to re-engage with the EU, so as to honor the Ukrainian people's clear civilizational choice. The administration must also reassure Ukraine's neighbors, most of which — particularly Poland — view Yanukovych's decision as a strategic disaster and an invitation for further misbehavior by Moscow in the region. But even as they do these things, U.S. officials must direct their strongest efforts at Russia.