BBC World Service
The Ukrainian people live at the mercy of those in power. They feel their lives are either on or off pause until the ‘midterms’ of the Ukraine election are over.
Voters are waiting for a decision from their leaders as to whether to see a coup and a transitional government. They also want to know whether they have a safe place to run to – if they do.
Eastern Ukraine has been deeply divided by the fighting between the Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces.
Clashes continued today in the second biggest city Mariupol in the east.
Sporadic violence is also being felt around the country. Local elections could not take place in Donetsk and Luhansk this time.
Tensions are said to have risen when the new leader of Luhansk said he would hand it over to Moscow.
There is a risk that East Ukraine could tip over into a famine. The figure is about a quarter of a million people that could run out of food in the months to come.
The world needs to stand with the Ukraine people in a time of crisis as they fight with guns and running out of food.
The West cannot just sit and watch. It is long past time to look again at how we can get involved in helping Ukraine and pressing Russia to do the same.