ABU DHABI, March 04. /ITAR-TASS/. The new Ukrainian leaders do not realize the real political situation and have put the West in an awkward position with their actions, observers of the Emirates' Gulf News note.

The US and its European allies can do little except bluster and plot how to cause Moscow the most pain without resorting to arms, an observer says in an article in the newspaper on Tuesday.

"As soon as they [new leaders, former opposition activists] got their feet under the desk, they downgraded the Russian language and have now placed Ukrainian troops on combat alert. They have further called upon the US and the UK to comply with a treaty designed to protect Ukrainian sovereignty signed by Bill Clinton and John Major [among others] in 1994. And to cap it all they have ordered the Russian navy out of Sevastopol, a major red rag to a bullish bear."

"US President Barack Obama’s rhetoric has compounded an already tense situation. His threats of unspecified ‘costs’ to Moscow are unhelpful and likely to bolster Putin’s resolve. The US and its European allies can do little except bluster and plot how to cause Moscow the most pain without resorting to arms. Such macho muscle-flexing is no solution."

"Moscow will not be deterred by testosterone-fuelled threats but may be swayed by guarantees safeguarding its interests," the author concludes.