The Russia-Ukraine War and the Politics of Annexation in Crimea: Implications for the International Community

Abstract

This study investigates the Russia-Ukraine war and the politics of annexation in Crimea and its implications for the international community. The war in Ukraine is a multi-dimensional disaster, which is likely to get much worse in the foreseeable future. Armed conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in early 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea. The Ukraine crisis is a pivotal event in the post-Cold War international system. It not only affected Russia-Ukraine relations, but also created broader geopolitical impacts embroiling Russia and the west. Prior to the crisis, Ukraine had found itself in a dilemma, which occurred as a result of a decision it had to make between Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. This research is premised on the Theory of Political Realism or the Power Theory. The method of data collection for this research is qualitative method. Therefore, based on this method used in this research, the data gathered are from documentary sources such as official documents from different institutions and organizations. The analyses in this research work suggest, that the war has several implications for global security. In terms of geopolitical tendencies, the war has increased confrontation between the great powers. Based on the findings of this research, it is recommended that; the most pressing short-term plan is to stop the war without showing weakness from either of the warring countries. It is also encouraging that direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow be strengthened to achieve diplomatic success.