In what appears to be
the biggest confrontation between East and Western blocs in Europe since the end of the Cold War, Russia, on February 28, 2014, invaded Ukrainian territory and has remained there since after the invasion. This has triggered off a soured relationship between the United States of America, USA, with its Western allies on one hand, and Russia on the other hand.
The bone of contention is Crimea, a semi-autonomous region in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of this region is a sad reminder of the military adventurism that partly led to both the First and Second World Wars. Since its invasion, the region has witnessed the imposition of a police state, while whatever was left of Ukraine’s presence there, has been obliterated.
Up till this moment, no discernible reasons have been adduced for the rather naked aggression against a sovereign nation by President Vladimir Putin of Russia. However, it is being conjectured that Putin’s action had so much to do with the sacking of the pro-Russian President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich.
Before the infamous invasion, Crimea had been on the boil in a conflagration between ethnic Ukrainians and Russian citizens which resulted in series of protests and killings. While both ethnic groups maintain almost equal spread on the island, the Russians are said to be more. Perhaps that is the reason Putin thinks Crimea is a Russian territory.
The continued stay of Russia in Crimea and its annexation after the controversial referendum is a clear indication that Russia is preparing for a showdown with the West including the US. This has not come as a surprise as Putin had been showing expansionist tendencies even before the invasion of Ukraine. The truth is that the Russian leader has never been comfortable with the US position as the only super power. That is why he will do anything to alter the imbalance.
The continued occupation of Ukraine, a sovereign country, under whatever guise, is precarious and an obvious threat to global peace which might take the world to a very dangerous height. This is more so given the stockpiles of lethal weapons found in both divides and Putin’s tacit willingness to expend them.
For many years, the Russian leader has assumed the picture of a bully and warmonger. He has never concealed his disdain for the collapse of the former Soviet Union which crumbled during the reign of Mikhail Gorbachev. Therefore it will be safe to conclude that Putin is determined to recreate the old Soviet Union and impose it on the world.
He has demonstrated sufficient signs to that effect. His country, Russia, has been exercising its veto power at the Security Council meeting to frustrate peace efforts in war-torn areas like Syria, Korea, Africa and the Middle East. His singular desire is to sell arms and expand the scope of Russian influence. He appears as a leader who is desperate for war.
It is surprising that even in the face of global condemnation of his action; Putin has continued to justify his invasion of Ukraine and has been widening the scope of his atrocities in that country not minding that his action runs counter to Article One of the United Nations charter.
If Russia truly accepted that Crimea belonged to Ukraine in the Budapest pact of 1994, why has it acted otherwise by annexing the same region? The argument that more than 60 percent of ethnic Russians constitute Crimean population as a reason for the invasion is untenable and flies in the face of the most primitive logic. It does not give Russia the right to own Crimea.
Of course, the Crimean situation is not the first instance in which people of the same ethnic stock are spread across two or more countries. Even though Crimeans have the right to self-determination, particularly as a semi-autonomous region, there are internationally recognized templates to actualize it. Putin’s agenda which he is pursuing in Ukraine is definitely not part of the known processes.
The world has gone beyond the era of primitive wars of unification. This is why every nation must set aside political and economic interests and condemn the Russian misadventure in Ukraine. To remain silent or divided on the issue will reverse the progress humanity has made since Hitler’s invasion of Poland which caused the Second World War in 1939.
Since economic sanctions and global isolation are viable tools of dealing with erring nations and whipping them into sanity, they should be exploited fully in the circumstances. War is not an option here because that will be playing into the hands of Putin. Though Russia might be strong militarily and economically, it cannot survive global isolation for long. Or can it?
Arnold Alalibo