What are the ramifications of an escalation in the Ukraine crisis?

The West warned Thursday that Russia risks significant economic and political consequences if it shuns a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.

The push to de-escalate tensions between Moscow and Kiev comes ahead of a planned Sunday referendum called by Crimea's pro-Russian leadership to decide if the peninsula is to secede from Ukraine.

The UN and key Western allies opposed to the referendum discussed the situation in a conference call, while Russia considerably increased its troop formations along the Ukrainian border.

Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini said UN chief Ban Ki-moon, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and diplomats from key Western nations agreed to ensure ..

“There will be consequences” if Ukraine’s sovereignty is violated, President Obama told reporters as Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov were meeting.

Mr. Putin’s decision to call a snap exercise involving thousands of troops near Ukraine’s borders this week had raised fears that Russia might deepen the crisis by intervening militarily in eastern Ukraine on the pretext of defending ethnic Russians, just as it had in Crimea.

“Russia is aware of its responsibility for the lives of compatriots and fellow citizens in Ukraine and reserves the right to take people under protection,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

By MICHAEL R. GORDON and STEVEN LEE MYERS

Here you basically have two superpowers trying to show off to one another.  Alike, the cold war the battle is occurring in a foreign land at the expense of civilian blood.  It is really upsetting. I pray they find a common ground or agreement on this matter.  There are many other countries trying to fight off government oppression. The Ukraine crisis is just another excuse.