In the aftermath of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, Vladimir Putin’s paranoid tactics and policies are leading his country to economic and political isolation although there are divergent opinion within the European Union.

The Kremlin’s mini Machiavelli strongly believes that he could destabilise eastern Ukraine. While maintaining plausible deniability about Russia’s links to the separatist rebels, he keeps gambling on the way forward. But, alas, Putin is a reckless gambler who has failed miserably on many an occasion! After the deaths of nearly 300 innocent civilians, Russia’s involvement in this tragedy is unmistakeable...

The EU, however, is finding it hard to muster a tough plan, a harsh response to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, mainly because of the risk to Europe’s energy and commercial interests. Germany and Italy are reliant on Russia for oil and gas and they don’t want their supplies cut. France has a €1.2 billion contract for the sale of Mistral ships to the Russian navy, which it does not want to lose!

If Putin decides to continue on the current course of destruction there won’t be any regional stability.

He is not only undermining the principles that govern international law but he is also fanning a nationalist sentiment that Moscow has every right to “protect ethnic Russians abroad”!

Putin’s bullying has to stop. The question that remains is: who is going to raise the heat on Russia?