Putin calls West's bluff over Ukraine peace deal
Vladimir Putin has called Europe's bluff over east Ukraine as Russia-backed separatists seize a strategic town in defiance of a ceasefire brokered by France and Germany.
The attack on Debaltseve by rebels loyal to the Russian president amounts to a test of the West's resolve to stand up to him - at the risk of an escalation of the conflict.
Allowing the rebels to capture the rail hub without a strong response to what the West calls a clear violation of the peace deal agreed on February 12 could look like appeasement of Putin.
But declaring the agreement dead would be likely to force Europe to impose new economic sanctions on Russia and increase pressure on US President Barack Obama to give Kiev lethal weapons, a move that might intensify the fighting.
