Russia And The Ukrainian War

Russia is a vast nation that stretches from Eastern Europe across the Eurasian land mass. It was the most powerful republic of the former Soviet Union ethnic Russians composed about half of the population it is the world's largest country.

At the time, it seemed a matter of little importance or concern, since it involved no more than a shifting of borders within the Soviet Union. But, soon the situation changed with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Ukraine’s becoming a sovereign state that included Crimea — an area with a majority Russian population — which has now led to the unintended consequences that have taken place over the last few weeks.

When the USSR collapsed the Cold War was ended, along with the spread of communism. In the year 1991, the USSR lost control of several Baltic States. Harsh living conditions and oppressive policies stirred rebellion in the people. Russian President Gorbachev tried in vain to restore power by first withholding, “vital supplies like oil and raw materials from the Baltic States, or even used force…where hundreds of people were killed” (Paxton 651). When deprivation and violence failed, Gorbachev persuaded member republics of the USSR to sign a “new union treaty establishing a looser federation of ‘sovereign states’” (Paxton 651). Although, he had meant to strengthen communism, Gorbachev’s bloody tactics lost support of progressives, as well as, conservatives. The final signature of the union treaty was blocked by a coup led by Boris Yeltsin, later he would become president of the Russian Federation. Secession movements brought civil war to Russia. On September sixth 1991, the Baltic States declared full independence with heartland regions similarly minded. Now considered obsolete, the USSR was replaced with a new Commonwealth of Independent States. Gorbachev resigned and Yeltsin assumed control. The Soviet Union no longer existed.

The reason why the crisis started, however, was how the Ukraine economy was set up in the first place. Their economy was heavily tied with their politics. Focusing on more so what happened in the country rather than why it happened leads us to see that Russia recently cut off the gas line between the two countries. (BBC, 2014) This was an important resource, not only for the Ukrainian people, but also for many Ukrainian businesses. Ukraine’s economy relies heavily on “Shipbuilding, steel and arms. However, because many industries are so energy-inefficient, they are highly dependent on imports of Russian gas, which have been heavily subsidized.” (BBC, 2014) When Russia cut off the gas line, Ukrainian businesses were hurt and forced to cut costs in order to make a profit. Many of their businesses ended up firing workers so their businesses were able move back to their individual equilibrium. Because this happened, Ukraine’s unemployment rate increased dramatically along with a decrease in real wages for employees. (BBC, 2014) “Traditionally, Ukraine has had a close economic relationship with Russia, with the two former Soviet republics having a

On November of 2013 the citizens of Ukraine took to Kiev’s streets. Mass protests broke out in dispute of the governments plan to drop agreements with the European Union and instead seek closer economic ties with Russia. Since the protests broke out Ukraine has seen an ongoing conflict in the east of the country. In order to illustrate a clearer understanding of the current situation in Ukrainian I will first discuss a brief history of Ukraine and its relationship with Russian since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The main question being asked here in this essay is whether or not Mearsheimer's account of the Ukraine Crisis in his article titled “Why the Ukraine Crisis was the West's fault” is entirely convincing to the reader and whether or not they agree with his controversial opinion on the crisis. In his account of the Ukraine Crisis, Mearsheimer assesses the point that Putin’s tactics and actions for this crisis do not necessarily show a good attempt to build a greater Russian empire. He focuses here on Putin’s decision makings, assessing them critically. Mearsheimer argues in his account that there are three major reasons for why the West has caused the Ukrainian crisis and forced Putin to intervene in Ukraine: Eastern enlargement of NATO, enlargement

Their geography shows Ukraine’s crucial position. Their territory reaches far into modern Russia, but it shares borders with many EU members, including Poland and Hungary. This leads to political crisis between

Throughout the years, it has been observed that conflicts are not being objectively covered by the media worldwide and the 2013 Ukrainian Revolution could not be an exception. For that reason, several articles and essays have been published from various writers during the years, identifying a different scope on the matter each.

According to an issue of the Wall Street Journal dated 27/March-2014, Russia is still massing troops near the Russian/Ukraine border; the question is “Will Russia/Putin’s uses this buildup as a staging platform for another attack on Ukraine?” These actions by Russia are occurring despite President Putnuns assurances that he has no intentions of violating Ukraine territorial integrity. In addition Putin’s actions runs contra to a an agreement called “The Budapest Memorandum” of 1994, where Russia along with the US pledge to uphold that same integrity- Crimea would seem to make that Russian so much hot air.

It has been argued that the Ukraine conflict can be attributed almost completely on Russian hostility. It is argued that, the Russian president Putin, assaulted Crimea because of the long desire to protect the soviet terrain, and from the prevailing situation, he may possibly pursue the entire Ukraine, as well as other nations in Eastern Europe. In this perception the dismissal of Ukraine president Viktor simply provided an excuse for Putin`s decision to order Russian militaries to take hold of part of Ukraine (Baker, et al 2014, p.1). The United States takes a big responsibility in this conflict despite the idea that it is anticipated to answer back to the skirmish between Ukraine and Russia.

Background. Ukraine gained independence from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) August 24, 1991 (Mark, 2016). Slightly smaller in size than Texas, Ukraine is bordered by Poland, Romania, Moldova, the Russian Federation, and the Black Sea. With a population of 44.4 million people it is not a very diverse country with 77% identified as ethnic Ukrainians, 18% ethnic Russian, and 5% other (CIA, 2015). In the last 12 years a relatively young Ukrainian government has suffered from political turmoil and most recently violent instability.

In 1954, Russia gave the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Pereyaslav, a military and political alliance with Russia, formed in 1654 (Kuzio, & Wilson, 1994). In 1991 the USSR started breaking apart with countries leaving and Ukraine voted to leave on August 24, 1991 when the Ukrainian parliament declared Ukraine as an independent democratic state with the adoption of the Act of Independence. To finalize this process on July 16, 1991, over 90% of the population voted for independence from the USSR in a national referendum (“Ukraine History”, 2009). With Ukraine’s independence from Russia, Crimea voted to stay part of the Ukraine.

The collapse of the Ukrainian government in 2014 resulted in the installation of a new pro-Western regime, a move that was met with resistance by Russia. On the other hand, The United States fully endorsed the new regime. This, along with other recent developments in Ukraine where Ukraine and Russia have been seen to clash, has led to talk as to whether the crisis could herald a new US/Russia Cold War. A historical review of the crisis in Ukraine reveals that the Crimea region was originally part of Russia before it was transferred to Ukraine in keeping with the due process. However, Russia still feels attached to the Crimea region emotionally. Based on the realist theory, it could be

Under international law Russia’s invasion of the Crimean Peninsula is illegal as the Referendum held on the 16th of March by Russia infringed upon the

From the very beginning of its existence, the two states were a single entity and not separated from each other, as well as their people. Ukraine and Russia have a common early history. The development of Russian statehood began with the formation of Kievan Rus. This ancient Russian state considers its predecessor, both Russian and Ukrainian. Later, after moving the center of power in Moscow, Ukraine has become a full-fledged part of Muscovy. The territory of modern western and central Ukraine were subjected to severe influence on the part of the Commonwealth, which captures these lands in fifteen to sixteen centuries. In 1648 Zaporozhye Cossacks rebelled against Poland, led by the Cossack Bohdan Khmelnytsky, which resulted in the fact that in 1654 was convened Pereyaslavskaya Parliament, which stated that the territory controlled by the rebels come under Russian protectorate. Later these lands were integrated