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Russia-Ukraine conflict: The flip side of the geopolitical coin (Part 1)

THE entire mainstream media has been buzzing in recent weeks about the rising conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the latter which is backed by the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated statements that Russia has no intention of starting a war and will not attack Ukraine, the world, particularly the West led by the US, believes contrary.

Neither NATO nor Russia, in my opinion, has a strong desire to rekindle a war in Europe. Following the two world wars that occurred in Europe, which decimated European economies and killed millions of people, the future world war may happen outside of Europe.

During the Cold War, many proxy wars took place outside of Europe. According to Samuel P. Huntington, there was an ideological battle between the West, led by the US, and communist countries, led by the Soviet Union, throughout that time period. 

The Korean War, the Indonesian National Revolution, the Malayan Emergency, the Suez Crisis, the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Soviet–Afghan War, the Cuban missile crisis and the Grenada Invasion are only a few instances.

The US, by default, vanquished the Soviet Union with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet bloc. With the rise of China after the end of the Cold War, the US’ predominance as a unipolar power has decreased dramatically. 

China, not Russia, is the greatest threat to the US’ global domination. 

The increased military presence of the US in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as frequent visits by high-ranking US government officials such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, raises concerns that this region will be the next possible front in a global conflict.

NATO rising influence and a jittery Russia 

According to the gov.uk portal, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the Munich Security Conference 2022 that any Russian invasion of Ukraine would be heard loud and clear. He also emphasised that the world should not underestimate the severity of the situation. 

He also stated that “we must stand strong together,” which begs the question of who we are and why “we” must unite against “them.” 

This statement echoes that of then-US President George W Bush, who spoke to a joint session of Congress and the American people at the US Capitol on September 20, 2001. “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists”, he stated in that speech.

According to international media reports, more than 130,000 Russian troops are stationed near Ukraine’s border, and Western governments have warned that Russia may invade Ukraine at any time. They accuse Russia of feigning a crisis in Ukraine’s Donbass region in order to justify an invasion.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden stated a few days ago that he believes President Putin has chosen to invade and that an attack might occur in the “coming days.” President Biden stated that the assessment was based on US intelligence that predicted Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, would be targeted.

 

Furthermore, according to the cnbctv18 website, President Putin has accused Ukraine of abusing the human rights of Russian minorities. Large-scale population evacuations have been ordered by separatist leaders in Ukraine’s breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. A few days ago, both regions declared independence of Ukraine, with Russia sending a “peacekeeping mission” there.

This raises the question of whether the Russia-Ukraine conflict is a masquerade designed to draw attention away from the US’s other “larger” battle plan to maintain its hegemony.

The situation in Ukraine – Security Council, 8968th meeting

Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned about Russia’s threat to peace and security during the United Nations Security Council’s 8968th meeting last Thursday. He warned of Russia’s threat, citing proof that Russia is on the verge of invading Ukraine. He emphasised that the US does not want to start a confrontation, as Russia may say, but rather wants to prevent one from happening.

The secretary of state addressed a global audience, reiterating Russia’s threat to not only Ukraine but the entire world. He stated that this issue affects every member of this council, as well as every nation on earth, because the essential principles that maintain peace and security, which were established in the aftermath of two world wars and the Cold War, are in threat. He also emphasised the notion that a country cannot change another’s borders through force.

The tone used by the US President and Secretary of State in dealing with this issue is more aimed at persuading the public to believe that Russia is an aggressor seeking to invade a weak country like Ukraine on spurious grounds.

During the Cold War, the globe, particularly Europe, was divided into two military alliances. NATO is made up of Western European countries led by the US, whereas the Warsaw Pact is made up of Eastern European countries led by the Soviet Union.

With the fall and disintegration of the Soviet Union, many Warsaw Pact countries joined NATO. Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Romania, for example. Czechoslovakia, which broke into two new countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, also joined NATO. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, all former Soviet republics, joined the treaty in 2004.

Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania shared a western border with Russia, while other countries shared a southern Black Sea border with Russia. The security cushion that Russia currently enjoys will be eroded if Ukraine joins NATO.

The rivalry between the US and Russia is timeless and legendary. Putin is a seasoned politician who has dealt with a number of different US presidents. By stationing his soldiers three quarters of the way across Ukraine, he is attempting to compel Ukraine to comply with his demand that Ukraine desist from joining NATO.

This is because Russia and Ukraine share a close border, and if Ukraine joins NATO, NATO’s influence will be expanded. This will put its sovereignty in jeopardy. 

It will also become a constant national security issue, as Russia will be forced to deploy its military assets in the Western region due to the proximity of the enemy. Russia is a vast country, and enabling Ukraine to join NATO poses a security danger because Russia has other security issues, such as Chechnya. – Feb 24, 2022. 

Source:  https://focusmalaysia.my/russia-ukraine-conflict-the-flip-side-of-the-geopolitical-coin-part-1/

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