Former United States congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul has called on the US to stay out of the intensifying Ukraine conflict, saying it was Western powers that initially stirred unrest there and which continue to incite the tense situation.

On the brink of what he calls a “civil war,” Ukraine must be allowed to resolve its differences free of Western forces antagonizing and incentivizing further clashes, Paul said, especially in the nation’s east where pro-Russian Ukrainians are moving to protect the area from the Western-backed government in Kiev.

“Western Ukraine right now is being urged on by its Western supporters, meaning its NATO supporters, the European Union, the United States and the IMF (International Monetary Fund),” Paul wrote on his website, ronpaulchannel.com.

Paul said the US and its allies provoked the Ukrainian conflict in the first place, despite what American media outlets and Western leaders claim about Russia’s culpability.

“The truth is, the coup of several weeks ago to overthrow the elected leader Viktor Yanukovych was stirred up by the same group: NATO, the European Union, the U.S., and the IMF,” he wrote.

Paul said that Washington's role in pumping $5 billion into the effort to “control Ukraine” is plain interventionism and meddling which could easily result in disaster.

“The current fighting looks like a serious escalation that may get out of control, even though it’s in the interest on both sides, the West as well as Russia, not to escalate,” he wrote. “There have been a lot of threats and intimidation on sanctions and economic penalties, which very well could get out of control.”

He adds that the IMF has dangled $17 billion in front of the Kiev government if it can rid eastern Ukrainian cities of “Russian supporters.” These kinds of measures, Paul said, explain “more aggressive activity by the Western Ukrainians to try to conquer these cities” and show that Western powers do not have the Ukrainian people’s best interests at heart.

“Ironically, the IMF doesn’t seem to have much common sense in trying to help the Ukrainian people because, in order to get this $17 billion, not only must they fight and control the East, they also have to raise taxes and increase oil prices—which will not help the people,” he wrote. “This is generally the case when there are sanctions placed on a country, or when war breaks out: the people suffer and the special interests seem to thrive.”

Paul said that the western Ukrainian move to institute a military draft also proves it is not on the defensive against Russian incursion, as the US and its allies claim.

“In all seriousness, if a country is defending itself, then the people rally and you don’t have to use conscription to get fighters.”

Paul concluded by saying the US has helped create and exacerbate divisions in Ukraine, and that Washington needs to refrain from offering money and weapons or picking sides, and let Ukraine “settle this on their own.”

“It would be much better for the Ukrainians, for the Europeans, for the Russians, and for the Americans, for us to just stay out and follow the principles of a non-intervention foreign policy.”