US Will Not Go to War With Russia Over Crimea - Ex-Ambassador McFaul

Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said that the US will not attack Russia over Crimea, and that Ukrainians themselves are responsible for the outcomes of the 2013 coup.

The United States will not conduct a military operation against Crimea, former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul told newspaper Ukrainskaya Pravda.

US soldiers will not be sent into battle against Russia soldiers to liberate Crimea.

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) April 24, 2015

McFaul said that although the US will never recognize Crimea's reunification with Russia, improved relations between the two countries would be necessary for political change in Russia to happen.

In the interview, McFaul said that Ukrainians are thinking like Russian President Vladimir Putin when they believe that the US will respond to militarily to Crimea's reunification with Russia.

"Right now you are talking like Putin: you, Americans, created the revolution against [Ukraine's then-President Viktor] Yanukovych and here's the result! We didn't do this, you did this!" McFaul said.

In a February 1 interview to CNN, US President Barack Obama admitted that the US "had brokered a deal to transition power in Ukraine."

McFaul added that for Crimea to ever become part of Ukraine again, it would need to undergo successful economic and political reforms, as well as defeat corruption.