Ukraine in crisis: All sides will have to make concessions

THE decision by the EU last week to extend economic sanctions against Russia until the end of September reflects the growing crisis in the region. 

It also recognises the, up to now at least, great difficulty in ending a war that one of the belligerents — Vladimir Putin’s Russia — denies being involved in.

That great difficulty is exacerbated by the unfortunate reality that Mr Putin has attained something approaching a cult hero status in Russia and is happy to provoke and confront — and even annex — his immediate neighbours if such a course of action strengthens his grip on power and makes the international community pay him more attention.