Is The Interim Ukraine Government 'Caving In'?

Ukraine Acting President: Not Opposed to Referendum on Regional Autonomy -- Wall Street Journal

A day after threatening a full-scale military operation to drive pro-Russian militants out of a string of eastern Ukrainian cities, the country's acting president offered an apparent olive branch Monday, saying he wasn't opposed to a countrywide referendum on possibly granting regions greater autonomy.

The move appears to signal increasing desperation from Kiev, highlighting it has few options for a real response as opponents take over further territory.

A referendum on greater independence from the central government in Kiev has been a key demand made by the militias that have commandeered government buildings in the east. Russia has also repeatedly called for Ukraine to change its constitution and switch to a federalized system that would grant greater independence to regions, particularly in the east, which are more heavily ethnic Russian and more closely tied to Moscow economically.

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More News On The Ukrainian Interim Government Proposing A Referendum And UN Peacekeepers For Eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian President 'Not Against' Referendum -- Radio Free Europe
Ukraine leader signals support for national referendum on status -- Global Post/AFP
Ukraine Wants UN Troops in Eastern Cities -- Time/AP
Ukraine asks for UN peacekeepers as pro-Russia militants seize more buildings -- FOX news
Ukraine’s president calls for deployment of U.N. peacekeeping troops -- Washington Post
Ukraine mulls referendum on federalization -- Xinhaunet
Ukrainian president optimistic most would vote for unity in national referendum -- UPI

My Comment: Is the interim Ukrainian government sincere in their proposal for a referendum .... I have doubts. They were very blunt over the weekend to send in the army .... but saying what you want to do and being able to deliver are usually two separate things. My read is that the Ukraine military is as fragmented as the country, and the interim government is now beginning to realize that maybe some of these soldiers (like in Crimea) may actually switch over to the protesters. But this Ukraine proposal is still a positive development .... it is an "olive branch" from Kiev to the protesters albeit a conditional one.