On Feb 9, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met US president Barak Obama, with the aim of finding solutions for the Ukraine Crisis. European leaders have expended considerable energy on trying to find ways to deal with the crisis. That Europe is now playing the trump card of Merkel and French President Francois Hollande shows that the crisis has got worse.

Ashton Carter, nominated by Obama to be next US Defense secretary, backs US arms for Ukraine. This suggests that the US intends further direct interference in the crisis. Sanctions on Russia imposed by western countries have so far failed to force it to budge on the Ukraine issue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Merkel, Hollande, and Secretary of Ukraine's National Security Petro Poroshenko, agreed to hold a meeting on Wednesday in Minsk to draw up a new peace resolution. Hollande has revealed part of the joint document under negotiation between Berlin, Moscow, Paris and Kiev. He said it will feature a 50- to 70-kilometer demilitarized zone on each side of the current line dividing militia-held and Kiev-controlled territories.

The EU is has close connections with Russia in trade and economic exchanges, so it is willing to come to an accommodation with Russia. But under pressure from the US and east European countries, the EU has made some “passive” moves towards Russia. Some analysts point out that Putin supports the unity of Ukraine on the condition that east Ukraine is under the influence of Russia. Such a strategy will put political pressure on the Ukraine government, and prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.

It is necessary to consider the relevant concerns of all the interested parties in seeking a solution the crisis. Ukraine is concerned by its prospects for development, while western countries are concerned by the relationship between Ukraine and Russia. The west is hesitant to force Russia into a corner. The Obama administration on February 6 unveiled its second and final national security strategy, stressing that America should not overreach itself in dealing with international affairs.

Statistics published by the UN on February 3 show that 5358 people have died since the start of the crisis and 5.2 million people living in eastern Ukraine are facing an ‘existential crisis’. The country’s leaders must realize that they should end the conflict as soon as possible.

This article was edited and translated from 《欧洲打出王牌，能避免战争吗？》, source: People's Daily Overseas Edition, Author:Yang Ziyan