With the escalation of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the increasing sanctions on Russia, Ukraine and Russia are facing a critical decision. Whether to keep the confrontation going or begin to compromise is a tricky decision for both.

With 280 Russian trucks heading for the border between Russia and Ukraine, the Russia- Ukraine dispute is getting worse. Ukraine doubts Russian claims that the trucks are loaded with humanitarian assistance such as food and medicine. The result is that the trucks have been intercepted on the border of Russia and Ukraine.

Reporters from The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph said they saw 23 Russia armored cars cross the border into Ukraine. The secretary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization hastened to declare that its allied forces had also seen Russian trucks enter Ukraine.

Tension between Russia and the western countries is rising. The foreign Affairs Committee of the EU delivered a declaration that any unilateral Russian military action would be a brazen breach of international law. Russia accused the West countries of thwarting its humanitarian assistance.

The White House has declared that it remains unclear whether Russian soldiers have invaded Ukraine, and has warned Russia against entering Ukraine without the permission of the latter. Concerned at the possible damage to the European economy, EU countries have urged Russia not to escalate the dispute.

The escalation of Russia-Ukraine dispute is an indicator of the level of distrust between the West and Russia. The sanctions imposed on Russia are harmful to both Russia and the EU. The US economic sanctions against Russia are a blow to the economy of Russia as well as that of Euro-zone area. If its trucks are not allowed to enter Ukraine, Russia, in an effort to save face, will continue to make further trouble in eastern Ukraine.

The article is edited and translated from《俄乌边境争端升级意味着什么》, source: The Beijing News, author: Chen Bing