(23.März) In 2008, however, NATO committed the historic mistake of stating that Ukraine and Georgia would one day be members of the organisation. Following this, long frozen conflicts were brought back to life and the struggle around the Crimea and eastern Ukraine was just one of a series of these. The chance that violence will break out in Moldavia and possibly even in the Baltic states is dangerously great. That struggle suits Putin’s agenda very well and it is therefore the treaty’s supporters who are playing into his hands. It would be a great deal better if Ukraine were to remain a buffer state between east and west.