Commentary: West should cooperate on Ukraine crisis

BEIJING - The top diplomats of Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union convene in Geneva on Thursday, kicking off just another round of frenzy diplomatic efforts to defuse the rapidly deteriorating Ukraine crisis.

With Crimea having broken away, Ukraine is no longer united. And with pro-Moscow sentiment and cries for independence and integration with Russia bubbling up in its east, the country is essentially on the brink of disintegration.

Unfortunate but true is the fact that Western countries, not least the United States, played no small part in plunging Ukraine into the current predicament.

The West planted the seeds of confrontation by fomenting discontent and inciting unrest. They turned sparks of protest into a vicious fire and stoked the flames while Ukraine was burning.

Ukraine crisis

From a geopolitical perspective, the region's balance of power was disrupted after Western countries made Russia feel insecure by pushing their frontier of influence further closer to Moscow.

As it is widely feared, the still escalating situation could snowball into the worst standoff between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War, a scenario that would not only inflict more pain on Ukraine but also undermine regional and global peace.

Immediate de-escalation is needed to prevent the flames of the Ukraine crisis from devouring the whole region and burning down the entire edifice of the current world order.

The only viable exit is a political solution. All parties involved should avoid any action that might deteriorate the situation, and start laying the foundation for dialogue.

Outside powers should be firefighters instead of flame-stokers. They need to play a constructive role by persuading Ukrainians of all sides to calm down and jointly seek a way out.

The four-party Geneva meeting, the first of its kind during the months-old crisis, offers an opportunity. It is imperative that the participants make good use of it and turn the sparks of hope into a bright beacon for dialogue and peace.

Right now, the West should show more appreciation for what Russia can do to solve the crisis in Ukraine. Instead of threatening Russia with fresh sanctions, they should make it clear that they can and will work with Moscow to solve the Ukraine crisis.

After all, given Russia's historical and cultural influence in the country, the Kremlin is a major piece of this messy political puzzle.