The UK Independent reported this morning of a secret Putin/Merkel peace plan for the Ukraine---"gas for land" ie the Crimea remains Russian with Russia paying billions for lost Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet rents and the Ukraine gets a long term lower gas price for their economy.

Was also released this morning in the German der Spiegel online.

Both the Independent and der Spiegel could get no responses from the Russians, Germans, and the British FMs on the article which is interesting as one would think that denials would be forth coming if not true.

Plan would be hard for the US/UK to accept as they have gone on record as stating that the Crimea will always remain Ukrainian and there has been no response out of Kiev on the article.

http://www.focus.de/politik/ausland/...d_4028632.html