The Reaction USA an EU to the Russian Federation’s Intervention in Crimea

Abstract

While Ukraine was taking willing steps to integrate with the West in the new world order that emerged after the Cold War, the Russian Federation did not want to lose Ukraine, which gained its independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, had close, historical and cultural ties with Russia in the past, has a significant Russian population and is an important actor in its close vicinity. The Russian Federation had long been opposed to the Western in-fluence, which increased especially with the Orange Revolution and reached its peak with the NATO enlargement; the Russian Federation has attached special importance to Ukraine, which is in its immediate vicinity. However, the West did not take this discontent of Russia into account and continued its actions against Ukraine. In this context, when Yanukovych rejected the Eastern Partnership program, which the EU offered to Ukraine within the scope of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), regarding the development of fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law, the tense atmosphere in Ukraine was exacerbated and the sequence of events that led to Russia's intervention in Crimea began. After Russia's intervention in Crimea, the USA reacted harshly and imposed serious economic sanctions on Russia. While the USA aimed to isolate Russia in its region, it actively led NATO in this direction. Being dependent on Russia in terms of energy, European countries followed policies aimed at mitigating the crisis and acted cautiously towards Russia along with the economic embargo. It is thought in the final analysis that the decisive actions of the Russian Federation and the West based on mutual trust will contribute to the solution of the crisis and ensuring stability in the region.