While Georgia and Russia are the first to blame for the recent conflict, the United States and Europe must also bear some responsibility, says Thomas Gomart of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) in an interview with EurActiv.

The EU is in a unique position and now needs to follow up on its six-point ceasefire plan in the Georgia conflict, perhaps by setting up a task force, according to Graham Watson, the leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), speaking to EurActiv in an interview.

Russia's unilateral recognition of Georgia's two breakaway provinces is seen as another 'aggressive move', which would only serve "to shut out any sort of moderating voice" in the EU and makes Western unity more likely, Andrew Stroehlein from the International Crisis Group told EurActiv in an interview.