Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed his countrymen this week and parts of his hour-long speech touched on Crimea and Ukraine - offering explanation on why Moscow is treating the sensitive issue as it is.

Crimea, no doubt, is strategic to Russia but Putin though it wise to put spiritual flavour to the claim - insisting that parts of the region is sacred to the Russian people. As noted by Reuters in a report, with the way Putin regards Crimea, he is essentially making an "indefinite claim."

As for Ukraine as a whole, the same Reuters report pointed to an earlier declaration by Putin that the Ukrainian capital Kiev is "the mother of all Russian cities." The statement somehow hinted that no matter what the Kremlin is not backing down on its Ukraine agenda, not even the threat of a deep recession.

The world looks up to the United States to deal with Russia under Putin on this matter and according to Roger Myerson and John Herbst, three options are available to Washington that possibly could avoid the ongoing tension into a full-scale nuclear showdown.

The principles were discussed by Myerson and Herbst, the latter served as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2003 to 2006, in an article published by The Huffington Post. In it the two analysts proposed that:

The U.S. must come to Ukraine's aid in case of an attack

One deterrent to a likely move by the Kremlin against Kiev is a firm assurance from the White House that it will provide military assistance to Ukraine as stipulated in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances.

The memorandum, in which Moscow is a signatory, calls for the protection of Ukraine's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Myerson and Herbst are convinced that the U.S. can provide military aid to Ukraine in form of weapon deliveries and intelligence sharing in the event that the agreement is violated.

And such assistance will continue to flow in unless the hostilities are put to a stop by the Russians, the report added.

The U.S. drop support for Ukraine's NATO membership

Assuring Moscow that it will not support Kiev's quest to gain membership with NATO should translate into a diplomatic gain for Washington, according to Myerson and Herbst. Also, if Kiev is officially kept away from the military alliance, the Kremlin will lose its argument of insecurity.

However, the reports stressed too that Ukraine should be explicitly allowed to tie up with the members of the European Union especially in matters outside of military considerations.

The U.S. should press Kiev for genuine reforms

Lastly, President Barack Obama has to step up the pressure on Kiev to implement and institutionalise reforms in order for the Ukrainians to start enjoying a government that actually is sensitive their welfare.

Also, an accountable Ukrainian government will also render a long-standing excuse by Putin on why he is so into Kiev affairs - that he is working to kick out an incorrigibly corrupt regime.