And of course the U.S. had interests in the region! Ukraine had overthrown a corrupt autocrat that had forcibly kept them in Russia's orbit for decades. And they were seeking Western support and protection to safeguard that.

Meanwhile, Putin was seizing territory, conspiring to unseat the government, and sponsoring armed rebellion. He even openly said that he wanted to dismember Ukraine and restore "Novorussiya."

https://www.fpri.org/article/2014/05/putins-greater-novorossiya-the-dismemberment-of-ukraine/

So who would you say had a greater "geostrategic interest" in the region?