Cameron is acting like a coward on Ukraine

Also: Why single out Cameron? He's the leader of just one NATO member state. The UK is militarily significant, but there's only one country's military the Russians take seriously, and that's the US. Cameron could stick his neck out and offer the services of Her Majesty's Armed Forces to Kiev, but without the other states alongside, it would be reckless endangerment of British lives without any evidence that it would help matters.

Likely, it would inflame them: with foreign troops on Ukrainian soil, the Russians would have no qualms at occupying the protesting areas of eastern Ukraine. You've just played into their hands - partition of Ukraine would follow.

Extremely limited no-fly zone, and enforcing a UN Security Council resolution.

Do you really think the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not breaching international law? Heck, all they needed to do was be invited into Ukraine by a pro-Western leader (interim President maybe) and they would be good to go. I'm not actually advocating invading Russia, if enough Western troops where there, it would just be a prolonged standoff.

I have absolutely no doubt that Russia has violated international law. But what you propose would play into Russia's hands. They are currently feigning non-interference in eastern Ukraine (clearly outright nonsense of course), and the moment any troops or aircraft entered Ukrainian space the Russians will claim they have the right to do the same.

I imagine that Kiev is begging NATO not to get involved beyond diplomacy for that exact reason. It would lead to the partition of the country.

So Russia can invade and split nations as they like?If we let Putin or anyone else behave like this,he will go on until there is nothing left.Also notice that extremist right parties are probably going to win in EU nations so the message we are giving is that anyone can invade other nations without retaliation.

You're just intellectualising cowardice

The Russians have already placed troops in Ukraine, they've just grabbed a chunk of it, so it's really gone beyond the threat of a Russian invasion, the invasion has already happened.

So Russia can invade and split nations as they like?If we let Putin or anyone else behave like this,he will go on until there is nothing left.Also notice that extremist right parties are probably going to win in EU nations so the message we are giving is that anyone can invade other nations without retaliation.

Agreed

The moment Russian troops entered Crimea, NATO forces should have been all over Ukraine, I mean literally thousands of US foot soldiers,British SAS, destroyers in the Black sea, Chechen and Tartar separatists armed and trained by the CIA etc

I concur.

Putin has been allowed too much freedom by the west and his actions represent a direct provocation and disruption of our strategic interests.

UK/NATO troops should be deployed to east-center Ukraine and a line must be drawn, Russia must go no further.

Two things.

Whilst we do have the best Army in the whole world:

1. We currently have just about enough blokes to occupy a Ukranian restaurant.

2. We are currently extremely well kitted out for fighting a counter insurgency in a hot, arid country. This would be a large conventional fight in a cold, wet, green country. We had all the gear for that kind of thing about 30 years ago, but we got rid of it because we didn't think we'd need it.

What I want is for Russia to withdraw its forces and let the Ukrainian people go.

So you've already written off the east and south as part of the Russian sphere of influence? How is that containing Russia, exactly?

Russia already has two regions now, we can't get them back without actual military which is what drawing the line avoids. In the East and South regions that are not yet taken we hold referenda and inform Russia that if a single soldier steps foot in the regions which vote to stay, they'll be fired upon.

Crippling them economically can't be done without the Germans thus posturing is the game now.

The Russian response can be predicted - they would cross the line anyway and dare the NATO troops to fire. Also, without your own troops on the ground in the south and east, how could you guarantee those referendums would be free and fair?

Meanwhile, Kiev loses control of their country as its fate is decided and partitioned Munich-style. Well done.

To cross the line it is they that would need to fire (i'm sure we can have a row of mines or some such). Russia would back down, it does not stand a chance against western Russia, let alone NATO as a whole. Putin is a smart man, that's why he's not attacked Kiev.

In the regions Russia does not yet control we would be there and would respect the result.

Kiev has already lost control, they allied with the devil and they have been burnt.

So you're proposing to cross the line to lay mines? You've given Russia every justification to invade, then, to protect both its interests and the interests of the pro-Russian group.

This isn't about backing down. It's about containment. Russia respects international opinion only insofar as it can leave a single bridge unburned that it can retreat behind, and that is its apparent promise not to violate Ukrainian territory directly any further. Putin is hoping against hope that Western troops will deploy, as that will give him pretext to do the same. The fact that you can't see this means Putin would run rings round you diplomatically.

Russia officially controls none. Your words are in the eye of the beholder. You've given Russia justification to manipulate the vote at leisure.

Kiev is beleaguered, but reports are in that it has not lost control of the east entirely and is actually pushing some back in parts. Don't write them off. I doubt very much they'd appreciate Western busybodies taking over and deciding their country's fate for them.

It's part of Europe and full of people with feelings, aspirations etc heck they could have been joining the EU in a few years...

Russia will not cross the line. A Russian soldier will never fire on a NATO soldier under orders from Putin.

I have little to no faith in Kiev.