"The West's uncertainty over Ukraine contrasts sharply with Russia's clear vision," Former Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio wrote in Project Syndicate. "Putin knows that a pro-Western, pro-NATO Ukraine would present a major obstacle to Russian dominance in Eurasia, potentially cutting off Russia's access to the Black Sea and, most important, providing a model to his opponents at home. His acts over the last days confirm that he is willing to play hardball, leveraging the discontent (real or provoked) of Ukraine's ethnic Russian population, particularly in Crimea, the home of Russia's Black Sea Fleet."
Read more at Project Syndicate.
Read more at Project Syndicate.