It is right to keep pressure on Russia

The threat that Vladimir Putin poses to Ukraine’s future should be of concern to Western democracy

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg

Russia continues to cause chaos. The situation in Ukraine – a conflict that has already cost around 4,000 lives – is deteriorating fast. Russia still obfuscates about the fate of Flight MH17. There has been Russian military activity around Nato’s borders. And prior to the G20 summit in Brisbane, Russia stationed a fleet of warships off the coast of Australia.

Reassuringly, Western democratic leaders appeared to be united this time in showing a strong front of displeasure to Vladimir Putin. There is a general reluctance to believe anything he says. David Cameron, who had a tense meeting with the Russian leader, said that although he takes people “as I find them”, in this instance “we haven’t seen his actions follow up the statements that he’s given on previous occasions”. Mr Cameron went so far as to draw a comparison between Russia’s behaviour and that of Germany in the Thirties. This tough approach was seconded by Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abbott, who threatened to “shirt front” Mr Putin – a kind of physical confrontation. And Canada’s Stephen Harper told him: “I guess I’ll shake your hand, but I’ll only have one thing to say to you – get out of Ukraine.”

Fighting talk is no replacement for action. But it is difficult to judge what kind of impact diplomatic isolation would really have on a leader who does not seem to care what the world thinks of him. More practically, British planes have joined Nato exercises in the Baltics, indicating to Mr Putin that there is a red line he cannot cross. The Russian economy remains weak and would be hugely disrupted by more punitive sanctions – so the West does have levers of influence should it wish to use them.

The threat that Mr Putin poses to Ukraine’s future should be of concern to Western democracy. When a big country can intimidate a smaller one and get away with it, then international law and order is put at risk. There are no easy solutions to this crisis. But the West has to keep up pressure on Russia in order to drive home a forceful message to Mr Putin and his cronies that bullying will not be tolerated.

By Telegraph View