They won't do anything against a powerful country like Russia that are capable of really hitting back hard. Cowards in Westminster and Washington only like to hit soft weak targets from 30,000 feet away at Mach 2 like ISIS inforinstance. They are frightened to death of Putin, and Russia's superpower status, so nothing but a few sanctions and a tiny military force will be put together in the vain hope that more Russian tank brigades won't be trundling through the Ukraine and announcing 'they accidentally got lost'.

And nor should anything more be done, the UK hasn't even got a serviceable a/c carrier, let alone any planes to put on one! The UK has a little over 80000 regular troops, thanks to hideous cutbacks from leftie govts including Liebour and Tory!

Russia military is poised to retake all Ukraine (Russia lost Ukraine in 1991). Ukraine military is now out numbered 10 to 1 by Russia.

Despite UN, EU, UK USA, Ukraine of 40 million will go down to Russian military conquest by Christmas 2014

It is important to distinguish separate issues: NATO membership is separate from EU membership; a NATO or other defense treaty is different from having military bases or military support; military action against Russian troops in Ukraine is different from an attack on Russia. Russian military attacks in Ukraine is different from Ukraine's military attacks within Ukraine.

Ukraine could, and maybe should, consider giving NATO, the UN, the EU &/or the US military bases within the territory of Ukraine. This would not be the same as having a defense treaty with either entity, but could serve as a gesture of sincerity for any entity considering a defense treaty with Ukraine. Ukraine's basic problem today is that it did not have military defense treaties, bases or agreements with other nations, except for Russia, who attacked and betrayed Ukraine. The other problem Ukraine has is that it's border with Russia is weak, and basically undefended, much like the US - Canada border; outside nations don't want to go in and try to defend a border that Ukraine has not seriously bothered to firm up themselves. The US has a base in Cuba, no defense treaty with Cuba, and certainly the US base does not imply the US is committed to defend Cuba if it is attacked.

If Ukraine requests military assistance from the EU, UN, US or NATO against rebels who may have support of Russian troops, this does NOT mean the EU, US, UN, NATO is at war with Russia. The US & UN killed a lot of Chinese and Russian troops in proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam, but were never officially at war with either China or Russia. The Ukraine situation is much more tidy, because the land area is small, and could literally be carpeted with bombs. As long as allied strikes remain on the Ukraine side of the border, then there is no attack on Russia, regardless how many Russians are killed; and Russia would still be the aggressor nation that has crossed borders to attack a neighbor. However, we should have learned from the proxy wars in Vietnam and Korea that failure to cut off supply lines and support from inside China and Russia makes the wars futile and endless. So Sanctions against Russia should be ramped up, including seizure of international bank accounts and reserves that should be liquidated to pay for the military response caused by the Russian attacks and invasions. This should include nations like China, who do business with Russia, and hence materially help Russia finance the attacks and invasion of Ukraine.

If Ukraine is serious about help from the EU, it should offer EU nations generous joint development terms for the $3 Trillion in oil and gas offshore Crimea, that Russia just stole.

Without other forces the Ukraine is pretty weak. Many of their soldiers who are sent into eastern Ukraine cannot bear to kill their fellow Ukrainians, so Kiev uses the Right Sektor who will kill anyone. Europe and U.S. should still not interfere even if Russia wanted to claim the Ukraine back.

Nato is reportedly putting together a 10,000-strong force drawn from at least seven countries to counter Russia.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101958472

EU to announce new Sanctions on Russia Over Ukraine

Russia wants destroy Ukraine as independent state.

Why talk about "cowards in Westminster" (who are presumably afraid of Russia) when it is the ordinary people of Europe who will be crushed and pay the price of a "bold and proud Westminster". Don't you think that "the presumed bold tenants in Westminster" will have safe bunkers already built and equipped to protect them from the savagery of a war? Unlike ordinary Europeans?

All our posing politicians in the West , will do very little except issue verbal threats . Mr Putin holds all the cards .[ nuclear bomb over western city ]