With Russian President Vladimir Putin having signed two decrees recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic" and "the Donetsk People's Republic" as independent and sovereign states on Monday, tensions between Russia and the West have further escalated.
The Ukraine crisis is a test of the wisdom of all sides concerned. As State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone talk with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, that means upholding the principles of the UN Charter and finding a solution that addresses the reasonable security concerns of all parties.