Containing Crimean crisis

The leaders of powerful countries of the world have expressed their reaction against Russia's annexation of Crimea through the Hague Declaration of March 24, 2014. Led by US President Barack Obama they took the decision to expel Russia from the Group of Eight until it "changes course" in Ukraine. They also formally cancelled plans to attend an economic summit at Sochi, Russia in June.
The suspension of Russia's membership in the G-8 is the latest direct response from major countries allied against Russia's annexation of Crimea. They argue that international law prohibits the acquisition of part or all of another state's territory through coercion or force. The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States say that Russia's actions against Crimea are not consistent with the aims and beliefs of G-8 Group.
In a nod to political and economic reforms in Russia, the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy added Russia to their G-7 in 1998 transforming it into G-8.
Russia  Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to the Hague Declaration. He said: "G-8 is an informal organisation that does not give out any membership cards and, by its definition, cannot remove anyone. All the economic and financial questions are decided in G-20, and G-8 has the purpose of existence as the forum of dialogue between the leading Western countries and Russia. Russia was not attached to this format and we don't see a great misfortune if it will not gather. Maybe, for a year or two, it will be an experiment for us to see how we live without it."
Obama's former ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, urged the administration to intensify its policy of isolating Putin: "Mr. Putin's Russia has no real allies. We must keep it that way''. A senior Obama administration  said Obama and other leaders agreed that further steps to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin could include sanctions on energy, banking and defense sectors -- all areas where Europe is deeply engaged economically with Russia. Those additional sanctions could be prompted if Russia further escalates its incursion into Ukraine, which the official defined as sending troops beyond Crimea into the southern or eastern parts of the country. While the official said further penetration of Ukraine by Russian troops remains the most immediate source of concern for the United States, other potential land grabs also worry the United States and its allies. NATO has expressed concern that Russia could attempt to reclaim a region of Moldova.
Obama met with President Xi Jinping of China at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Amsterdam.  Obama told Xi that although Beijing is unlikely to endorse sanctions, "China's interest should be in working with us to de-escalate the situation in a way that respects Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Xi responded by saying that China wants to see a "political resolution to the conflict."
Russia has a clear choice to make. Diplomatic avenues to de-escalate the situation remain open, and the Russian government is encouraged to take them.
 The debate over how to punish Moscow within the G-7 bloc of leading western nations and Japan reflects tensions between them over how far they can go in imposing sanctions on Russia while still remaining unified. One G-7 foreign minister, however, said there was "broad unity" among the G-7 members to avoid escalating the crisis.
The writer is Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and                        Vice-President: Bangladesh               English LanguageTeachers Association  (BELTA).               [email protected]