The Ukraine Crisis and its Consequences
Europe has made significant investments over many years in creating a framework of laws, practices, and organizations for conflict avoidance and crisis management. 2014's swift transition in Ukraine from political turmoil to armed conflict served as proof that the current procedures are still unable to meet the task. The European security order was seriously threatened by Russia's annexation of Crimea without the permission of the Ukrainian government. According to conservative estimates, at least 4364 people had died in the fighting by the end of 2014, and there were over 500 000 internally displaced people in Ukraine. There were still no signs of a permanent resolution to the dispute at the start of 2015. Face-to-face interactions between important parties were encouraged by diplomatic efforts, including discussions between Russia and Ukraine and between the Ukrainian government and representatives of armed groups operating in the country's ea