![]() ![]() Only Ukraine and the three Baltic States that achieved membership in both NATO and the European Union in 2004 have managed to stay beyond Moscow’s grip. Thirty years since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 2021, and 22 years since Vladimir Putin came to power, Moscow has successfully reasserted itself as the dominant political force and security provider in the region. First of all, the past two years have seen significant changes in Eurasia, where developments seem to have reached a tipping point. Several factors are at play for Moscow and Putin. Indeed it has ramped up its military presence in recent weeks. Despite the flurry of talks between and among Russia, the U.S., NATO and other allies-including offers to discuss Russian security concerns-since President Biden met with President Putin in Geneva in June 2021, Moscow has shown no sign of releasing the pressure. Russia’s latest preparation for what now seems like a potential large-scale invasion of Ukraine was in part sparked by the current Ukrainian government inviting American and NATO forces to conduct joint exercises and engage in other military cooperation to boost Ukraine’s defensive capabilities against further Russian aggression. Senior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe Nonetheless, the timing seems in many respects driven more by Vladimir Putin’s own political predilections and perceptions of developments and reactions in Ukraine, Europe, and the United States rather than by events on the ground in the contested Donbas region. The Kremlin’s policy toward Ukraine has towed a hard line since the early 2000s and we can certainly point to an accumulation of factors since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and set off the ongoing war in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region that has now cost the lives of more than 13,000 Ukrainians. It is hard to identify a specific trigger for Russia’s decision in 2021 to move thousands of personnel and their armaments close to Ukraine or for the sudden escalation of events in December 2021. Russian troops, artillery, armored vehicles, tanks and other equipment encircle Ukraine: they are along the Russian border with Ukraine and in the annexed territory of Crimea as well as in Belarus, threatening a major military confrontation. ![]() This current critical phase of the crisis in Ukraine has been manufactured by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |