Abstract. In recent years, Western countries have demonstrated an obvious desire to prevent resolution of the Ukrainian crisis on Russian terms (to prevent “Putin's victory”). Now not only Washington, but also a number of leading European states are exploiting the situation to implement internal consolidation and maintain European identity on an anti-Russian basis (in the context of “restraining Russian aggression”). Negotiations on a peace settlement in Donbass have reached a deadlock. And the aggravation of the situation around the Azov sea and the Kerch incident return Crimea into the focus of political debate between Russia and the West. This combination significantly complicates any substantive political dialogue. Under such circumstances, the opportunities for an effective search of a political compromise on Ukraine are constantly decreasing, and the chances for a long-term de-cision of the Ukrainian crisis are becoming increasingly illusory.