MOSCOW, May 2. The division of Ukraine between Russia and Poland was would be a reasonable option to resolve the conflict, said retired US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter in an interview with the YouTube channel U.S. Tour of Duty.
«We need to give Western Ukraine to Poland. Honestly, that's the smartest thing to do. <…> It needs to get out of the equation. Make it a problem for Poland and Europe. It's not a problem for Russia <…> If you remove Western Ukraine from the overall picture, I am sure that (between the two countries. — Approx. ed.) there will be peace, because they are one people, with the same culture and history. <…> How many could imagine that someone from Alabama would reconcile with the people of New York after the Civil War (1861-1865). We did it. Why? Because we are all Americans, «the expert noted.
As recalled Ritter, Odessa, Kiev, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk have always been part of the Russian civilization, which goes far beyond the borders of Russia itself. In his opinion, the population in these regions will live in harmony with the Russian people after the end of the conflict.