Special Focus 2
Resolving the tension between the EU and
Russia with special focus on Crimea
JMUNESCO 2016
BY: Güniz ÇAKMAK & Verda PINAR
General Information
. The Republic of Crimea, officially part of Ukraine, lies on a peninsula stretching out from the
south of Ukraine between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
. In 2014 Crimea became the focus of the worst East-West crisis, after Ukraine's pro-Moscow
president Viktor Yanukovych was driven from power by violent protests in Kiev.
. Russia marched in Crimea with troops, claiming they were holding a democratic vote.
. Crimea’s Russian speaking majority, voted to join Russia.
. Ukraine and the West believe these actions are illegal.
Politics: Officially an autonomous part of Ukraine, but seized by pro-Russian forces and annexed
by Russia in February/March 2014
Economics: Tourism and agriculture are its main earners
Population: 2 million - ethnic Russians 58%, Ukrainians 24%, Tatars 12%, other 6%
International: Russia has been accused of annexing the territory in a move seen as the worst
East-West crisis, since the Cold War
-BBC 2015
What is the Ukrainian Conflict?
A prolonged crisis in Ukraine began on 21 November 2013, when then-president suspended
preparations for the usage of an association agreement with the European Union
History
Crimea was absorbed into the Russian empire along with most of ethnic Ukrainian territory
by Catherine the Great in the 18th century. Russia's Black Sea naval base at Sevastopol was
founded soon afterwards.
More than half a million people were killed in the Crimean War of 1853-56 between Russia
and the Ottoman Empire, which was backed by Britain and France. The conflict reshaped
Europe and paved the way for World War One.
In 1921, the peninsula, then populated mainly by Muslim Tatars, became part of the Soviet
Union. The Tatars were deported en masse by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin at the end of World
War Two for alleged collaboration with the Nazis.
Why Crimea is part of Ukraine
Crimea only became part of Ukraine when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave the
peninsula to his native land in 1954. This hardly mattered until the Soviet Union broke up in
1991 and Crimea ended up in an independent Ukraine. Despite that, nearly 60 percent of its
population of 2 million identify themselves as Russians.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, there have been periodic political tussles
between over its status between Moscow and Kiev.
Population
Around 2 million. Ukraine's 2001 census showed around 58 percent were ethnic Russian, 24
percent ethnic Ukrainian and 12 percent Tatars, who support the new pro-Western government
in Kiev.
Economy
Crimea's temperate climate makes it a popular tourist destination for Ukrainians and Russians,
especially Yalta, where the Soviet, U.S. and British victors of World War Two met in 1945 to
discuss the future shape of Europe.
It accounts for three percent of Ukraine's gross domestic product, with 60 percent of its own
output made up by services. The land is intensely farmed, with wheat, corn and sunflowers the
main crops. Extra water supplies are brought by canal from Ukraine's Dnieper River.
There are chemical processing plants and iron ore is mined in Kerch. Ukraine has two grain
terminals in Crimea - in Kerch and in Sevastopol. According to UkrAgroConsult, these have
exported 1.6 million tons of grain so far this season or 6.6 percent of Ukraine's total exports.
The Tatars
The 1991 fall of the Soviet Union also brought the return of the Crimean Tatars, the native
hosts of the land that fell to Russia under Catherine the Great in the 18th century. They were
brutally deported in 1944 under Stalin.
The Crimean Tatars, who now make up about 12 percent of its population, have sided with the
anti-Yanukovych protesters in Kiev who drove his government from power.
Ukrainian response
Ukrainian President accused Russia of "provoking a conflict" by backing the seizure of the
Crimean parliament building and other government offices on the Crimean territory. He called
on Putin to withdraw Russian troops from Crimea and stated that Ukraine will "preserve its
territory" and "defend its independence".
On 1 March, he warned, "Military intervention would be the beginning of war and the end of
any relations between Ukraine and Russia."
On 1 March, Acting President placed the Armed Forces of Ukraine on full alert and combat
readiness.
Ukrainian public opinion
A poll of the Ukrainian public, excluding Russian-annexed Crimea, was taken by the
International Republican Institute from 12–25 September. 89% of those polled opposed 2014
Russian military intervention in Ukraine. As broken down by region, 78% of those polled from
Eastern Ukraine opposed said intervention, along with 89% in Southern Ukraine, 93% in Central
Ukraine, and 99% in Western Ukraine. As broken down by native language, 79% of Russian
speakers and 95% of Ukrainian speakers opposed the intervention. 80% of those polled said the
country should remain a unitary country.
These polls show the amount of people for or against Russia’smilitary intervention.
Why did the fighting start in the first place?
In April 2014, pro-Russian activists seized control of government buildings in towns and cities
across the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The events were a repeat of what had happened in Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
Gunmen there seized government buildings in February 2014 and raised the Russian flag a
week after elected President Viktor Yanukovych, friendly to Moscow, fled during massive proEU street protests in Kiev.
An early attempt by nationalists to remove the status of Russian as a second language alarmed
many Russian speakers, and officials in Moscow portrayed the new leaders in Kiev as US-backed
Ukrainian nationalists bent on violating minority rights.
A flawed referendum on joining Russia was quickly held in Crimea and within a month the
peninsula's annexation was complete.
There was little bloodshed in Crimea, but Ukraine's fledgling revolutionary government was in
no position to fight back, with only 6,000 troops reportedly ready for combat.
However, when pro-Russian separatists made a move on Ukraine's industrial east and Russian
forces appeared to be building up on the borders, the authorities in Kiev ordered an "antiterrorist operation".
Key Terms
Polls: A sampling or collection of opinions on a subject, taken from either a selected or a
random group of persons, as for the purpose of analysis. The place where votes are taken.
Unitary: Aiming toward unity.
Intervention: Interference of one state in the affairs of another.
Peninsula: An area of land almost completely surrounded by water except for an isthmus
connecting it with the mainland.
Invasion: This term refers to a military offensive by a relatively superior nation in terms of
income, size or its stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction. This military offensive may be to
“establish democracy”, “stabilize the region” or simply take over the host country for economic
and geographical benefits.
Sovereignty :The generally accepted definition of sovereignty, accepted by the United Nations
as well, is defined as the independent authority a body has over a geographic area, which may
be a territory or a natural resource under the country’s geographical borders. In its most basic
sense, sovereignty may be defined as a government’s power to hold jurisdiction over the nation
it belongs to.
Orange revolution: The Orange revolution were a series of mass protests held between late
2004 to early 2005 against the allegedly corrupt and unfair presidential elections, ultimately
leading to a revote being conducted by the Ukrainian Supreme Court.
Possible Solutions
It is obvious that this issue cannot be and should not be resolved using any kind of
conflict. The magnitude of international tensions that were seen during the course of the last
year were threatening to global peace and security, with many even claiming that this was the
beginning of another Cold War. The only way to resolve this conflict is diplomatic negotiations.
Talks have been conducted in the past and they have been fruitless, hence talks with a certain
type of binding agenda should be held either bilaterally or between multiple parties. Another
way to enforce peace in Eastern Ukraine is to ensure that previously agreed upon ceasefire
agreements such as the Minsk II protocol are followed strictly and that there are diplomatic
repercussions if these protocols are violated. The first step in finding a solution to the issue to
immediately mitigate the effects of this conflict on the Donbass region as well as the Ukrainian
Population. Immediate supply of socio-economic infrastructural aid to the Eastern Ukrainian
cities is an urgent issue so as to restrict the damage done. Long-term solutions also need to be
put in place, some of which include the restructuring of the Ukrainian Parliament/Constitution
so as to prevent any future instances similar to the tyrannous and imprudent decision taken by
ex-president Yanukovych. On the Russian issue, international laws and documents need to be
reinforced and stronger action must be taken so as to ensure that international sovereignty is
maintained.
Development of Issue/Timeline
1 December 1991 Ukrainian Parliament declares independence from the Soviet Union (Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics) with over 90% of Ukrainian population voting in favor of independence in a
nationwide referendum held on the subject.
25 February 2010 President Yanukovych wins largely controversial Presidential Elections.
21 November 2013 President Viktor Yanukovych signs a multi-billion dollar loan deal with the Russian
Federation over the European Union Association Agreement. Ukrainian masses angered, protests begin
outside the Ukrainian Parliament.
December 2013 Over 800,000 protesters occupy Kiev’s city hall.
22 February 2014 President Yanukovych flees Ukraine to Russia as protests rise across the nation.
24-28 February 2014 Russian troops begin entering the Crimea region, although the number remained
under the agreed 25000 figure, President Vladimir’s Putin’s orders to initiate military drills and
immediate armament came as a major concern to the international community.
1 March 2014 Russian legislative assembly approves the use of military force in Ukraine; Russia increases
number of troops in Crimea. Russia’s actions strongly opposed by the United States, Canada and the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) March 2014 Various altercations seen between Russian and
Crimean troops/navy vessels. Further tension is seen between Russia and other nations.
15 March 2014 Russia vetoes Security Council resolution S/2014/189 which declares the upcoming
Crimean Referendum as invalid and reaffirms Ukraine's “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial
integrity”.
16-18 March 2014 The infamous Crimean Referendum takes place with over 97% of Crimea apparently
Several nations and international bodies denounce the referendum.
27 March 2014 The United Nations General Assembly passes and adopts resolution on the Territorial
Integrity of Ukraine, resolution - A/RES/68/262. The resolution deems the Crimean Referendum as
invalid and upholds Crimea’s territorial integrity.
7 June 2014 President Petro Poroshenko recognized as president of Ukraine. Russian Federation and
expresident Yanukovych denounce this and refuse to officialy recognize Poroshenko as President.
17 July 2014 Malaysian Civilian Aircraft MH17 downed in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, allegedly
controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
21 July 2014 S/RES/2166 (2014) passed unanimously by the Security Council.
22 August 2014 Russian aid convoys containing emergency supplies enter Eastern Ukraine, Ukraine
endorses this as a direct invasion however does not use any force against convoy.
August – September 2014 Clashes between pro-Russian rebels, Ukrainian military forces and Russian
Forces continue in Eastern Ukraine.
5 September 2014 Minsk Protocol signed in Minsk, Belarus under the supervision of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Signed between the Russian Federation, the Donetsk
People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s republic.
11 February 2015 Joint discussion between Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France which was overseen by
the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Attempted to revive the previously
failed protocol. Consists of an agreement of several new packages to alleviate tensions in the Ukrainian
Peninsula.
17 February 2015 UN Security Council adopts resolution S/RES/2202 (2015) endorsing the "Package of
measures for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements" to end violence in eastern regions of
Ukraine.
Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014%E2%80%9315_Russian_military_intervention_in_Ukraine#I
nternational_reaction
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Crimea_by_the_Russian_Federation
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26465962
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93European_Union_relations
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28969784
http://www.haaretz.com/world-news/1.577286