This is the most comprehensive analysis of the history of the current crisis with Russia. In sum, Russia doesn't want to deal with the problem but NATO is pushing it for no good reason. The "American Century" is already over, but the American Oligarchy still sees ways to squeeze "just a bit more" from the "rest of us".
Looks like War to me.Russia is a strategic petrostate in a double sense. It is too big a part of global energy markets to permit Iran-style sanctions against Russian energy sales. Russia accounts for about 40 percent of Europe’s gas imports. Comprehensive sanctions would be too destabilizing to global energy markets and that would blow back on the United States in a significant way. China could not standby and allow it to happen.