Ukraine crisis is making Europeans think again about ' 30s and origins of World War II , says Timothy J . But since dual citizenship in Ukraine is illegal , the most visible of Russian citizens in Ukraine are ( 1 ) the Russian soldiers and sailors based in Sevastopol , ( 2 ) the Russian soldiers who have just invaded southern Ukraine and ( 3 ) Ukrainian riot police who are being given Russian citizenship at the Russian consulate in Simferopol to reward them for beating Ukrainian protesters . Smith : As with Putin today in Ukraine , Hitler in 1938 in Austria based claim on need to protect fellow ethnics . Once Austria had gone , European leaders easily defeated Czechoslovakia , which truly deserved support , he adds . Seizure of Crimea was meant as challenge to EU , to prove European values can not protect themselves - Ukraine .
Ukraine crisis is making Europeans think again about ' 30s and origins of World War II , says Timothy J . Smith : As with Putin today in Ukraine , Hitler in 1938 in Austria based claim on need to protect fellow ethnics . Once Austria had gone , European leaders easily defeated Czechoslovakia , which truly deserved support , he adds . Seizure of Crimea was meant as challenge to EU , to prove European values can not protect themselves - Ukraine .