"Putin Ally Asserts Ukraine as Russian Territory in Need of Reclamation"
Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of President Putin, declared Ukraine as part of Russia and emphasized the need for historical parts of Ukraine to "come home." He dismissed the possibility of peace talks with Ukraine's current leadership and stated that any future Ukrainian government must recognize the new reality. Medvedev's remarks indicate Russia's far-reaching military goals in Ukraine and he also claimed that Russia's ties with the U.S. are worse than during the Cuban missile crisis.