As the West tightened its screws and contrived an unconstitutional coup in Kiev, it stands to reason that Putin would end his post-Cold War accommodations and restore Russia after a period of humiliation to act decisively in Crimea.

The question now is what will happen after the Crimean crisis?

The West -- the United States, the EU, Australia and Japan -- have slapped sanctions on Russia, intending for it to hurt. But the Kremlin doesn't seem to feel the pain. Fred Hiatt's neo-conservative Washington Post editorial called it "a slap on the wrist." White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has promised more and tougher sanctions to come.

There is a vociferous call for a rethinking of the West's defense posture -- strengthening NATO. But the West has to balance reassurance and provocation, and so far no serious person has called for military action.

There is no question that the Crimean crisis has ushered in a more dangerous era. But few see it as the beginning of a new Cold War. It is not like the old Cold War which was a global contest of ideology and a struggle for world domination.

It cannot be business as usual either.

What is heartening is that diplomats from the United States and Russia are in touch to ensure they can still work together, and European and American officials said their differences with the Kremlin have no effect on the unified position they all take at the Geneva talks, which are aimed at ensuring that the Iranians can never make nuclear bombs.

There is debate on what new strategy Washington should pursue. Stephen Walt of Harvard suggests that Washington should accommodate Russia's sphere of influence, while reserving resources only for those challenges that represent an existential threat to the United States.

Hard liners, however, want Washington to engage in a kind of boisterous containment in which it maximizes power in order to show resolve to not only Russia but also China.

Let us hope sober minds prevail.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/zhaojinglun.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.