The Deep Causes of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The US and its European allies aim to peel Ukraine away from the Soviet orbit and incorporate it into the West. The US fundamental goal has been to make Ukraine a western bulwark on Russia’s border. Russia says this isn’t happening period end the story, and Russia will do everything to make sure it does not occur. This is the key strategy of the US. First, NATO expansion. Since the cold war ended, America moved NATO eastward toward Russia’s border starting with the Clinton administration. Second, EU Expansion is all about integrating Ukraine economically into the west, and third fostering an orange revolution by promoting democracy in Ukraine and other places. America runs around the world trying to topple regimes and put in their place democratically elected governments. For almost all people now, including me, it’s hard to be against promoting democracy. But if you are Vladimir Putin or part of leadership in Beijing when the US talks about democracy promotion, that means toppling your regime. The basic strategy of America is to topple governments all over the world not simply because the US likes democracy but because the US believes that whoever gets elected will be pro-western. NATO’s final declaration Bucharest Summit, April 3, 2008 “NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries would become members of NATO." And the Russians made the response clear that this was unacceptable. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister said Georgia’s and Ukraine’s membership in the alliance is a huge strategic mistake that will have the most severe consequences for pan-European security. Putin himself told Georgia and Ukraine that becoming part of NATO is a direct threat to Russia. If we remembered a war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, that war was the consequence of this because the Georgians thought that the US was sending them a signal that they could get uppity with the Russians, and the US would back them because they were going to become part of NATO. That’s not what happened, and you know what happened, the Russians clobbered the Georgians, and Georgia is in deep trouble today because it thought to become part of NATO. Do you believe that Ukraine will experience the same? Could you give me your opinions?