The escalation of tensions on the ground in Ukraine erupted in more violence this week as the foreign ministers of Russia, the U.S, Ukraine, and the European Union are holding an emergency meeting Thursday in Geneva, the Cold War’s default negotiation point.

But many in the West fear that the talks are too little too late as Ukraine’s military struggles to suppress an increasingly aggressive pro-Russian uprising empowered by Russian troops amassing on the country’s border. CNN reports that gunfire was exchanged between Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces Thursday after a gang of 300 attacked a Ukrainian military base. Meanwhile, pro-Russian militants have secured Slaviansk, while in Donetsk a self-declared appointed "chairman of the people's council” called for a referendum vote by May 11.

Thursday’s attempt at negotiations between the East and West face steep challenges, not only due to mounting pressures on the ground but also because both sides interpret events in a drastically different lights. As the CS Monitor reports:

From the West's point of view, Russia, having exploited disorder in Kiev to annex Crimea in a lightning military-backed operation, is now promoting unrest around eastern Ukraine with the possible intent of annexing those territories as well. US officials claim Russian instigation is the major factor behind the recent seizures of administrative and police buildings across the Donbass region. Both Kiev and Washington have claimed that Russian special forces are probably spearheading the occupations, just as they did last month in Crimea.

But the West has also played a role in inflaming unrest by consistently erring in its understanding of and response to events in Ukraine, Kremlin-connected experts say. They add, however, that a peaceful solution may still be possible – and any annexation ruled out – through reforms in Ukraine that devolve powers to the eastern regions and enshrine a permanent non-aligned status in the Constitution.

In an interview Wednesday with CBS's Major Garrett, President Obama reiterated the importance of protecting Ukraine's sovereignty and, again, promised "consequences" if Putin continued to instigate the overthrow of Ukraine's government:

What I've said consistently is that each time Russia takes these kinds of steps, that are designed to destabilize Ukraine and violate their sovereignty, that there are going to be consequences.

However, the president also made clear that he did not want to take military action, stating, "We don't need a war."