I think some conflict within the Donbas region is inevitable, hence the call up in Ukraine. You don’t march 200k troops to a disputed border and expect no tension or conflict. At this stage, we can only hope it doesn’t extend beyond Donbas, albeit that is easy for me to say and is cold comfort for those in the region and for Ukraine as a whole.
There is strong public support for Ukraine across the political spectrum in Germany. The German left seems far more realistic about Putin than the left in the UK or the US. Perhaps being closer to the problem focuses the mind. I think Nordstream is dead for the foreseeable future. Politically it has become toxic.
Equally the US right seem to be fully on board the Putin express along with some Brexit fans in the UK who seem more motivated at seeing Putin ‘humiliate’ European leaders or blaming the EU (Lord Owen in the Express) for daring to accommodate the wishes of the Ukrainians, as if self-determination is not something Ukraine should aspire to.
Given the reaction here to the Govt sanctions and reality not matching the bombast, I expect there will be additional measures announced.