By Javad Pasandideh
Following the recent remarks of hostility between Russia and Western countries, notably the comments shared by the US President Joe Biden, against Vladimir Putin, we could be facing a new historical cycle, also taking in account the Russian military maneuvers near Ukraine’s southeastern borders.
The constant declamation among Russian leaders of their imperial view over former Soviet republics, such as Ukraine, and reciprocally the reaction of EU and US in response to Russian wishes to resuscitate its former dominance in the Eastern European region.
Based on the points that have been mentioned above, in this article I will initially examine the historical context of the tensions between Russians and Ukrainians which are related to the reality of a long history. Or rather, the tragedy that was created by the permanent and decisive factor of history. Below I will analyze aspects of the awakening of the traditional Russian-Ukrainian conflict with emphasis on the geopolitical competitions between Russia and Western countries, including the European Union and the United States of America.
-Historical contexts of the conflict (before The USSR era):
Apart from everything, we should pay attention to this point that both of The Russians and Ukrainians believed that they are related to the valuable history which has recognized them as a member of the Christian world.
One the hand the emperors who will form a new government in Moscow claimed:
“We are the rightful successors of the Kievan-Rus kingdom.”
In addition we are the Third Roman Empire after overthrow the Byzantine Empire by the Turkish-Ottomans invasion to Constantinople the capital of Byzantine.
In fact, Russian emperors introduced themselves as the Guardians of the Roman Heritage!
And because of it, they chose “TSAR” title instead of emperor for themselves. This tradition was lasted until Peter’s time.
But from the other hand, most of the European-Slavic people especially those who had remained at their home during the Mongolian’s occupation period had insisted that they are the population who have protected from European and holly Christian values not those who are ruling in the east and have called themselves as The Roman-European government’s successors!
While the Russian Tsars were saying we should accept and also publish the Christian-Orthodox religion as the pure tradition of Christianity, Ukrainians were talking about to join and obedience to the Catholic Church in Rome and the Western Europe.
Russian-Ukrainians’ contradictions weren’t limited to the religious disputes.
We can observe several factors and many reasons which caused to make wide range of hostilities between two sides.
The Old Grudges which have been continued since today like a Frozen Conflict that are being visible in the whole of Post-Soviet space.
After the First World War and following by overthrowing the Russian empire, Ukrainians like other Russian-dominated nations from Central Asia to the Caucasus and Eastern Europeans such as Polish people had tried to achieve their political independence from Russians and the next government which was gaining the Romanov dynasty extensive possessions.
A holly dream of freedom for Ukrainian elites can be searched in the manuscripts of the famous political thinkers like Dmytro Dontsove who will change to the character who became a revolutionary and inspiring writer for the freedom fighters in Ukraine.
Furthermore we can talk about Stepan Andriyovych Bandera, the patriot Ukrainian leader who had established the Rebel Army in Ukraine and he was also one of the Chauvinists (as the most of Russian historians have told) had fought for many years to achieve Ukrainians freedom to establish a modern independent political entity for his homeland.
Of course about Bandera and his group, this point should be considered that his movement was suffered from several political defects such as his cooperation with German Nazism and other Fascist groups in Europe.
-In the Post-Soviet era:
The story of freedom from Russian dominance is a tragedy which has been remained for Ukrainians since today!
Russian government showed that it doesn’t want to approve the Ukrainian political and territorial independence from Kremlin despite this matter that the USSR doesn’t exist today and Ukraine isn’t the Soviet Ukraine Socialist Republic at the 21st century too!
Moscow supported the East-Southern Separatists in Donbas region and Putin sent his army under the pretext of protection from Russian citizens in the Crimean peninsula to punish Ukrainians who had wanted their national integrity.
This point should be mentioned is that Russia by his operation in the Crime and the eastern borders of Ukraine had sent a specific message to the US former president Barack Obama too. The message was that:
“Russian Federation Republic under the leadership of Vladimir Putin can’t tolerate the U.S and West’s desires to hold their hegemony in the former Soviet Geopolitics regions.”
This alarm was dedicated to the American leader who had called Russia as a regional power and not an international superpower or the great player in the Global political relations!
Conclusion:
As I mentioned at the beginning, in recent weeks we have been faced with some remarks by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, on Vladimir Putin and Russia’s offensive policies towards Ukraine. In response to Biden’s comments against the Russian president, Sergey Shoygu, Russian defense minister, warned NATO and the US military not to extend future operations or maneuvers near disputed areas between Russia and Ukraine. And in the following days, international news agencies reported that Russia had sent 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s borders to prepare to counter any military adventure against Russia’s national interests by the West in this part of the world.
Eventually, the world can be the watcher for some horrific events like those of years past to occur, or instead try to make a new deal!
Author: Javad Pasandideh (Eurasian expert and analyst.Tehran-Iran)
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or views of World Geostrategic Insights).
Image Credit: MAXIM SHEMETOV/REUTERS