Blaming Putin for these deaths is as correct and as pointless as blaming the man who pressed the button that launched the missile. Everyone has known for months that Russia arms and supports the separatists in Ukraine. Everyone has known for years that a mouse does not squeak in the Kremlin without first getting Putin’s permission. We also know very well what Putin is, a revanchist KGB thug trying to build a poor man’s USSR to replace the loss of the original he mourns so much.

But blaming Putin for invading Ukraine — for annexing Crimea, for giving advanced surface-to-air missiles to separatists — is like blaming the proverbial scorpion for stinging the frog. It is expected. It is his nature. Instead of worrying about how to change the scorpion’s nature or, even worse, how best to appease it, we must focus on how the civilized world can contain the dangerous creature before more innocents die.

David Fuller's view

Strong words but I think he is right.  Europe can feel unlucky that Boris Yeltsin chose Putin to succeed him - mainly for protection in his retirement years - but the EU will have to contain him with the USA’s help.  This will take time because Western leaders have largely chosen to ignore the reality of Putin, expressed so clearly by Gary Kasparov above, and they are not prepared.