Amid the tragedy, euphoria and confusion in Ukraine, the risks of renewed confrontation between Russia and the west are rising. An east-west struggle over the fate of Ukraine would be a tragedy for the country – increasing the risks of civil war and partition. But while a brutal arm-wrestling match between the Kremlin and the west – with Ukraine as the prize – is a distinct possibility, it is absolutely not in the interests of Russia or the west. On the contrary, the Russians, Europeans and Americans have a common interest in preserving Ukraine as a unified country that avoids civil war and bankruptcy.
最近乌克兰局势一波三折，先是爆发流血冲突，接着传出了令人兴奋的消息，继而又令人困惑，目前俄罗斯与西方爆发新的对抗的风险正在上升。倘若围绕乌克兰命运爆发东西方角力，对乌克兰来说将是一场悲剧——它将增加该国爆发内战和分裂的风险。但是尽管俄罗斯很有可能与西方国家展开激烈的角力（乌克兰是战利品），但这绝对不符合俄罗斯或者西方的利益。相反，避免乌克兰爆发内战和破产，维持其国家统一，符合俄罗斯人、欧洲人和美国人的共同利益。