Several factors played a role in the development of the Ukraine War, including the aims of both nations to join NATO and the emergence of Russian imperialism. During the 1920s, regions in western Ukraine were controlled by Austria-Hungary, then passed under Romanian and Polish control. At the start of World War II, Stalin seized control of these areas, but they remained hotbeds of nationalist sentiment. Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists leader Stepan Bandera used western Ukraine as the base of his operations for setting up a puppet state under German protection. Some of the worst World War II atrocities occurred in western Ukraine.
Russia’s imperial ambitions are bent on conquering Ukraine
Western leaders are convinced that Putin is solely responsible for the crisis in Ukraine. The Russian president has said he wants to form a more powerful and unified Russia, reminiscent of the Soviet Union, and Ukraine is one of the first targets on his list. In fact, Putin has said that his ultimate goal is to wipe Ukraine off the map of the world. But what is the real reason behind this ambition?
In 2014, the Russian government pursued two conflicting goals in Ukraine: influence over the country as a whole and the return of historically Russian territories. However, Russia has changed its strategy and now has its sights on the country’s east and south. Although Russia will try to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, its elites have now accepted that it will be a de facto ally of the West.
While the endgame is unclear, Putin’s objectives for the situation are clear: he wants the new government in Kiev to be subservient to Moscow, he wants to de-Stalinize the country, and to denazify it. In addition, he wants the West to recognize Russia’s post-Soviet sphere of influence, and he wants to create a puppet regime in its place.
Although the Russians have been making slow progress, they are still determined to take all Russian-speaking parts of the country, and a chunk of its eastern coastline. If it can conquer the Donetsk province, it will likely stop and offer a ceasefire to the Ukrainian people. In the meantime, Ukraine will be weakened, making it more vulnerable to foreign intervention. In the long run, Putin’s actions are unlikely to yield any real results, but they are certainly a bad idea for Russia.
Ukrainian independence is also a good idea. There are many other reasons to support Ukrainian independence. For one thing, the majority of Ukrainians would prefer to be independent. In the end, it would be better for everyone if Ukraine was allowed to have self-determination, including Crimea and the Donbas. After all, there is no reason to keep Ukraine as a Russian territory if it cannot protect its own interests.
Putin has been massing troops along Ukraine’s western border for months and only just announced the invasion on Wednesday night. This full invasion raises the question of what Putin’s true endgame is. In his speech, Putin made clear that he wants more control of Ukraine and is expecting a confrontation with NATO and the United States. The annexation of Crimea is only the first of several wars Putin is waging in Europe.
The current situation in Ukraine is a prime example of Russia’s national weakening through foreign interference. The situation is worse than ever, as the war has caused inflation to soar to 8.1 percent and benchmark gas prices have skyrocketed 15 percent in the last week. The Russian gas cutoffs this winter are raising economic recession risks in Europe. The Ukraine’s national interests are at stake – Russia is bent on destroying its own country.
Washington played a central role in leading Ukraine down the path to destruction
As the United States and the European Union continue to pursue their expansionist agendas, the future of our strategic relationship with Russia is at stake. The recent exercise of economic and financial power by the Russian Federation has created a profound threat to the West’s ability to exert leverage in the region. War and power, both short-term and long-term, cannot be gained by simply exercising one’s own power. In the long run, preserving U.S. financial power is vital to our long-term strategic interests.
The Ukrainian economy is in bad shape, and the damage to the country is estimated to be well in excess of a trillion dollars. The U.S. military and other aid efforts will be critical to the country’s recovery. It will take at least a trillion dollars to restore the country, and the U.S. needs $5 billion in aid a month to help rebuild the country. Washington’s involvement in Ukraine’s collapse is undoubtedly a major factor in the current political and economic crisis, as U.S. military aid to Ukraine is among the highest in the world.
As the United States continues its support for Ukraine’s war effort, it is imperative to recognize that it has committed to defeating Russia through comprehensive sanctions. While many countries have called for a diplomatic solution, the Biden administration has doubled down on its involvement, committing more than ever to ensure Russia loses. A Russian victory in Ukraine would be a devastating defeat for the United States, which has invested so much in the conflict.
The United States and the European Union have failed to prevent this war from going nuclear, and the United States should avoid getting dragged into it. Both sides cannot win the Ukraine conflict, and both sides could be pushed to use nuclear weapons. If the United States and Russia continue to ignore their escalating military capabilities, it could end up leading Ukraine to a nuclear exchange, and that would be disastrous for both sides.
After the Bucharest summit, the United States and the European Union continued their aggressive efforts to integrate Georgia into NATO and create a Western bastion on Russia’s borders. In 2021, the US and the European Union supported a pro-Western uprising that forced the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country and replace him with pro-American prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. While Russia was largely unaffected by the US’s support for NATO, the Russian military seized Crimea and fueled a civil war between Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
In 1989, the cruiser Moskva, formerly known as Slava, was on its way to the Mediterranean Sea and advanced toward Malta. This cruiser was the same ship that visited the base of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol as the United States made it the first stop for President Bush. This cruiser was also on its way to the summit in Malta when the U.S. government accused Russia of war crimes. In fact, Russia has lost some of its best tools in the West.
NATO enlargement could not have been an important cause of the conflict
Some people are convinced that NATO enlargement was the cause of the Russia-Ukraine war. This view is unfounded as all current members of NATO are a part of the alliance, and Russia does not threaten any of the old members of NATO by engaging in a conventional territorial war. However, the media seems to ignore this reality, despite the obvious implications. Moreover, Russia’s aspirations to join NATO were not purely defensive, despite being occupied by Russia up until 1991 and for centuries before that.
The annexation of the Baltic States by the US has resulted in many geopolitical ripples throughout Europe. As Finland and Sweden are already members of NATO, Putin must respond to their membership in that organization. This would increase the power of NATO in the Baltics, as they are close to Russia. If Finland and Sweden do join, this could further bolster NATO’s strength and deterrence.
Although Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is morally wrong, NATO’s policies on enlargement were inadvisable at the strategic level. In addition, Russia has shown its willingness to commit war crimes and use indiscriminate force. It has also opened up discussions about the reclamation of tsarist lands. But in the long run, this new reality is unlikely to result in a major military conflict.
NATO should continue strengthening its military postures in eastern NATO territory. It should not just create tripwires around Poland and the Baltic states; it should also strengthen permanent forward defense postures in the area. These actions should be considered a modest, but meaningful threat to Russia’s cross-border aggression. However, the broader implications of this new security environment are much more profound.
Adding Finland and Sweden to NATO would have made the Baltics less vulnerable to Russian attacks because the countries would have been protected by the Alliance’s forces. By making them a part of NATO, Russia would have felt less of a threat to these countries. In addition to this, the Baltics would also become less vulnerable to attacks. If this is the case, a war would have been less likely.
Moreover, Turkey has been the main player in the Russia-Ukraine war, avoiding the escalation of its ties with Moscow and Kyiv. Turkey has also maintained a stable relationship with Moscow and Ukraine, avoiding Western sanctions against Russia. Its pivotal role in the conflict could have a large impact on its foreign policy, albeit not on Turkey’s own.
