Ukraine points towards the start of a tumultuous new era in world politics

``The Russian government does not expect the lifting of EU sanctions for a long time and, even then, it is hard to expect business as before. Putin's idea of a "greater Europe from Dublin to Vladivostok", which he was seeking to sell to the European, particularly German business community, only five years ago, is being replaced by the reality of Russia's increasing closeness to China and the rise of what can be called a "greater Asia from Shanghai to St Petersburg".''