It's time to stop appeasing Putin – here's how to deter him | CNBC

"Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008, and the de facto annexation of its two breakaway provinces, was followed by the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, the first forceful changing of European borders since World War II. Then there was Moscow's intervening in Syria to prop up murderous dictator Bassar al Assad in 2015, which was followed by Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

...Two aspects of Russia's military action were significant. First, it was the first time that Putin had so brazenly used his own conventional military forces against Ukraine, where he has acted mostly in the shadows or through proxies. Second, by firing upon Ukrainian vessels, he must have factored in a potential chain of events that might have led to a wider war.

President Donald Trump's tweet on Thursday that he wouldn't meet with Putin this weekend on the margins of the G-20 in Argentina was encouraging but insufficient.

In an interview with the German-language Bild Zeitung, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko this week warned, "The only language [Putin] understands is the solidarity of the Western world. We can't accept Russia's aggressive policies. First it was Crimea, then eastern Ukraine, now he wants the Sea of Azov."

Here's a brief guide to what has happened and what should be done, providing context and a range of responses recommended by Atlantic Council experts:

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It's time to stop appeasing Putin – here's how to deter the emboldened Russian president | CNBC

Vladimir Putin's list of crimes, including last Sunday's Russian attack on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea, continues to grow, writes Atlantic Council CEO Fred Kempe.

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