In the meeting, it was reported Russia demanded a federal Ukraine, with local autonomy for the Russian population, while the Ukraine remain "neutral" in international affairs.
Two points: Arend Lijphart once touted the idea of consociationalism, multiple groups working together for the betterment, or at least the stability of the country, each group with a mutual veto over the other's policies, and local representation. Federalism, he argued, is a way to do achieve that goal. The idea of mutual veto powers won't actually work here because the Russian population has an ace card in their hand, namely Russia. The Russian population will pull out the "Big Mother Russia" card, I.ex, the threat of Russian invasion, to exercise its dispropriate power over the Ukraine.
Second, is any one really taking the "neutral" demand of Russia seriously? What if the Ukrainian government continues to seek closer relations with the West, will that give Russia a pretense to invade, to "preserve Ukrainian neutrality"? The demand, as illustrated here, does not mean Russia will be obliged to remain "neutral" in regards to the Ukraine.
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