In the recently released official 'Fact Sheet' from the White House Office Of The Press Secretary, entitled 'US Support Package For Ukraine', which is ostensibly about fighting corruption and providing safety and security and helping the poor in the embattled Ukraine, there hides a shining key to the entire situation. 

 "A technical team will also engage the government on measures that will help the Ukrainian government ensure swift and environmentally sustainable implementation of contracts signed in 2013 for shale gas development."

  That answers all questions regarding the motive for US involvement. That's what this whole thing is about.  

The contracts referred to are for Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell, both companies well known for highly financed 'greenwashing' campaigns, and they ahve a way of working around environmental laws or simply ignoring them and counting on friendly officials and media to ignore the consequences, which they almost always do. 

Royal Dutch Shell, for example, practically ruled the parts of Nigeria they worked in through very convenient deals with a brutal military regime, with government troops and police keeping the people out of the way, even 'legally' murdering community leaders through bogus trials. 

How could any government claim that any deal with Shell will be environmentally sustainable after the disaster their pollution caused in the Niger-Delta region. 

Chevron has a similar history of human rights abuses in collaboration with government, especially in the Amazon region of South America. 

The White House's desire for a quick and peaceful outcome to the Ukraine crisis, with control over Ukrainian resources in hand, comes at cross purposes to Canadian Prime Minister Harper's desire to see the situation become more volatile, with sanctions against Russian oil to the advantage of Canada's oil industry. 

References: 

White House Press Release, April 21, 2014 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/21/fact-sheet-us-crisis-support-package-ukraine

Center For Constitutional Rights, Factsheet On Shell In Nigeria. https://ccrjustice.org/learn-more/faqs/shell%2526%2523039%3Bs-environmental-devastation-nigeria

Amnesty International Blog on Shell in Nigeria: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/africa/the-6-questions-shell-oil-doesnt-want-you-to-ask-about-oil-pollution-in-the-niger-delta/

Amnesty Internation Profile on Chevron: http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/business-and-human-rights/oil-gas-and-mining-industries/chevron-corp

Council Of Canadians Article Harper seizes Crimean Crisis To Sell Tar Sands And Fracked Gas To Europe.  http://www.canadians.org/blog/harper-seizes-crimean-crisis-sell-tar-sand...