International politics/relations
In his article “Russia's Latest Land Grab: How Putin Won Crimea and Lost Ukraine” Jeffrey Mankoff states that Russia interrupts political uncertainty of former socialistic countries justifying it with protection of Russian national minorities on these territories. According to the author, in this way Kremlin is able to maintain influence on post-Soviet countries. After dissolution of Soviet Union many of these countries have directed their policy on European integration not willing to play under Kremlin rules. Russia was playing a restrictive role in each case, except the Baltic countries.
During 2014 Russia has probably lost the strongest political ally – Ukraine. Tight economic and politic relationships between two countries were broken when Ukraine declared the national strategy to join eu in the upcoming years. The Kremlin has considered this move as political threat to Russia and had annexed the Crimean Peninsula. The Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LNR) were proclaimed in Eastern part of Ukraine supported by Russian militaries. The aim of this paper is to understand which international relations theory can better clarify Russian foreign policy and provide own assessment.
The Russian navy was based on the territory of the Crimean according to the agreement with Ukrainian authorities. Due to favorable strategic location of the peninsula, the presence of Russian fleet in Black Sea basin has a geopolitical influence. It helped Russia to press on Georgia during the South Ossetia crisis in 2008. The Black Sea has played its important role during the Libyan Civil War and elimination Syria’s chemical weapons.
The anti-russian character of the new Ukrainian policy threatened the Black Sea navy base in Crimean port. Russian government was aware that if the peninsula is lost, the U.S. Navy and NATO military units can be based there to control the basin and put political pressure upon Russia. Therefore the annexation of Crimea was a strategically vital decision for Russia from the point of security considerations. The Crimea invasion can be treated from a security dilemma concept of international relations. Russia was trying to heighten its security by maintaining military influence in Black Sea basin. The Crimean conflict was not a display of strength for Russia but more an act of safeguarding its own geopolitical potential.
REGIONAL HEGEMONY OF RUSSIA AND MULTIPOLARITY
Since Putin has become the president in 2000 Russian foreign policy has significantly altered. The dominance of the Euro-Atlantic world in the international system does not satisfy Russian ambitions. In this regard, Russia is seeking ways to build a multipolar world and, along with China, is the main apologist of the multipolarity idea, which is designed to cast doubt on the Euro-Atlantic hegemony.
The classical hegemony theory implies the state’s full dominance in global economic and political relations. However neorealists consider that modern hegemony can’t be global. Rapidly developing economies are restrained by stronger ones to keep the world’s balance of power. In such situation countries with similar interests are encouraged to form unions that can maintain stable growth of the economies and political independence. Vladimir Putin's statements, his rhetoric and decisions, imitating the policy of Soviet period, reveal that with the help of the "policy of the near abroad" and samples of the Eurasian foreign policy Russia is going to create a new regional structure, which should alter the balance of powers in the world.
Hence Russia has presented the new model – Eurasian Union, which is considered to be signed in 2015. The project’s predecessor was Eurasian Customs Union, which unites Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The Eurasian Union will embrace the territory from the Chinese border to the border with the eu. Russia can be the strategically essential “bridge” between Europe and Asia. Unlikely to eu the Eurasian Union - is the organization led by Russia that reflects the Russian regional hegemony formation process.
The main problem in implementing the Eurasian Union project is that it is considered as an obstacle to global and regional interests of the eu and U.S. in Eastern Europe, China and Central Asia. As a result, we observe the unfolding regional competition in Central Asia for dominance in the post-Soviet republics between Russia and China. The NATO alliance maintains the intention to enter the Black Sea basin, the civil war conflict has spread in Eastern Ukraine. Retention of Ukrainian territory is one of the most important strategic parts of the Eurasian Union. It forms the European vector of the project and is the "door" in the Black Sea basin. The latter was mostly achieved by expansion of Crimean Peninsula. The Ukrainian conflict revealed that eu and U.S. policies will be aimed to prevent Kremlin’s plans in order to maintain the existing balance of powers.
NATIONAL INTERESTS
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has arisen from the national split. The Russian support of DNR and LNR, the annexation of Crimea is a way to protect Russian people living on the territory of Ukraine. According to the theory of international relations Russia defends its national interests on the Ukrainian land. The national motive can be considered more as an excuse for Russian aggressive foreign policy. However, the ethnic issue revealed causes increased tension and hostility between two countries. Russian imperialistic behavior and Ukrainian intension to avoid Russian influence has deepened the conflict.
CONCLUSION
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine can be examined from different concepts of international relations. Firstly, Russia is trying to secure its military positions and geopolitical influence by invading Crimea. The retention of Crimean Peninsula is a security dilemma for Putin. Secondly, the attempts to retain post-Soviet countries are a part of imperialistic strategy to gain hegemony in Eurasia. This leads to our third point: Russia is willing to oppose to Euro-Atlantic world. The rapid growth of Chinese People’s Republic and the perspective of Eurasian Union can shift Euro-Atlantic dominance and turn unipolar world into multipolar with several powerful countries (or unions). Our fourth point lies in national interests of Russia. As 20 to 30 percent of Ukraine’s population consists of native Russians, Kremlin always has a good pretext for an invasion on Ukrainian territory.
Works sited
Mankoff, Jeffrey. "Russia's Latest Land Grab." Global. 1 June 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141210/jeffrey-mankoff/russias-latest-land-grab>.
