Aijaz Ahmad, senior political analyst, discusses with Newsclick the further developments taking place in Ukraine after the Crimean referendum, after the removal of Russia from the G8 and the imposition of sanctions by the US. Ahmad feels that the sanctions are only symbolic in nature and do not have much of a bite. But what is really dangerous is the military escalation by the US and the NATO in the region. What matters most is not the issue of sanctions, but the encirclement of Russia, which will probably be tightened, says Ahmad.