Former USSR

Such stabilization must come

through a comprehensive package of political and economic steps including the

military neutrality of Ukraine, guarantees for its security and sovereignty,

considerable autonomy for its eastern and southern regions, and the ability for

Kiev to hold strong commercial ties with both the EU and the Eurasian Union.

Instead of placing all the blame on Russia, the Western nations should

acknowledge their own share of responsibility for the crisis, encourage Ukraine

and Russia to build on the Minsk process, and help negotiations between Kiev and

the eastern provinces. In the longer run, a new conference on European security

must be called to formally end the post-Cold War era and establish a security

system with Russia and Ukraine as key players.