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Press TV has talked with Stephen Lendman, an author and radio host from Chicago, to further discuss the issue of foreign meddling in the political crisis in Ukraine.

- Well, Stephen Lendman you have the G7 over here that are saying that it is illegal for this referendum to take place and of course the US being one of them not really exercising the total definition of legality when it comes to some of these countries.

Now what is interesting is the fact that one of the choices on the ballot paper is for Crimea to remain part of Ukraine and it gives them the choice who they are going to be committed to in terms of loyalty.

Does this sound like, given the legality, it is going to go to the UN?

- It is good to be with you. I must tell you that I am literally writing daily articles on Ukraine, a daily commentary on what is going on. I say categorically that what Crimea is doing is absolutely legal. Let me cite the most obvious example that any American would certainly understand very well, if an American is paying attention.

America, before it became America, declared independence from Britain..., Declaration of Independence..., and basically what it said was: When a government becomes tyrannical and does not serve the interest of its people, then the people have the legal right to rise up and change the government and replace it with a responsible one.

Kosovo declared independence, the world court endorsed it, Washington endorsed it, the US major media endorsed it. Other countries have done exactly the same thing.

Crimeans have a legal right to decide their own future and based on polls in the country, it overwhelmingly would chose to declare independence and ride with Russia.

- And, you know, when we want to take a look at what Russia is saying interference in Ukraine’s affairs, I mean we saw John Kerry shaking hands with Yatsenyuk just days back and now Yatsenyuk is on US soil, meeting with Barack Obama.

Not to mention the fact that a group of senators led by, guess who? John McCain; going to Ukraine to meet the interim government there.

Should not they back off a little bit and just let things kind of, just go on their own course here?

- Well, America is doing exactly what it claims Russia is doing, which it is not. Russia did not invade Crimea; America invaded Ukraine with US politicians, Undersecretary Victoria Nuland, a hardline neocon very much involved in regime change in Ukraine Senator John McCain, EU officials showed up in the Maidan absolutely manipulating a regime change and ... with neo-fascists to rise up against the Ukrainian people who do not realize how badly...

You have so many elements to the Ukraine story; I mean we need an hour to discuss it, which we do not have, but it is a horrible story and I would say that the Ukraine story very much is not ended.

Crimea aside the Ukraine story the battle for the Ukraine soil is just beginning and when the Ukrainians realize how badly they have been betrayed there is a very strong possibility that a civil war could break out.

Ordinary Ukrainians are angry that their leaders betrayed them and they may rise up and we could see the civil war break out.