Ukraine

Max Fisher/Washington Post

Statement from the White House on 2/22/2014

We continue to urge an end to violence by all sides and a focus on peaceful, democratic dialogue, working pursuant to Ukraine’s constitution and through its institutions of government.  Going forward, we will work with our allies, with Russia, and with appropriate European and international organizations to support a strong, prosperous, unified, and democratic Ukraine.  Going forward, the Ukrainian people should know that the United States deeply values our long-standing ties with Ukraine and will support them as they pursue a path of democracy and economic development.

The people in the east of Ukraine, closest to Russia, favor closer ties with Russia.  The people in the west of Ukraine, closest to Europe, favor closer ties with Europe.

John McCain and Barack Obama agree that a unified Ukraine is important.
The White House statement above includes 'unified' as one of the characteristics of Ukraine that the White House will support.
John McCain on Face The Nation this morning said

...let the Ukrainian people determine their own future and a partition of Ukraine is totally unacceptable, and we need to act immediately to give them the economic assistance that they need based on reforms that are gonna be required as well.

Click on the map credits for Max Fisher's article describing the map.  See also the comments.  Take everything with a grain of salt.
Not sure how much of Ukraine is for or against Russia, but it's clear that the more we try to describe a conflict the farther we get from understanding it. 
(That subject alone is worthy of a doctoral thesis, I bet)

I'm curious why these arbitrary dividing lines for countries are worth dying for.
Doesn't anybody remember the Big Blue Marble?  No lines here.