At first, to know the relationship of the US and Russia over Natural Gas, it might be better to know why Russia invaded Ukraine in the general point of view.
Contents
1．Demilitarize Ukraine
One of the reasons, the invasion of Russia is demanding to demilitarize Ukraine. There has been increasing the defense system by anti-Russian toward pro-Russian parties. In pro-Russian areas, people have claimed that they have been persecuted by anti-Russian.
Historically, Russia and Ukraine have engaged in numerous conflicts, and the current situation is not the first instance of tension between the two nations.
Unlike some have said that is fueled by imperial nostalgia of Russian empire. Russia is simply protecting their people.
Ukraine has been part of Europe or Russia since the middle age, originally a part of Greece and Rome in the B.C., then become an independent country with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
So, naturally, there are two parties. One is accustomed to Russia than Ukraine, pro-Russian. And another is admiring to be part of the EU than Russia. Even though, it does not supposed mean to hate Russia.
But at some point, people started to regard that to be part of EU should hate Russia. That is called “anti-Russian”.
Before the invasions, approximately since 2014, anti-Russian become aggressive toward pro-Russian at critical level. Moscow occasionally claimed Kyiv’s unnecessary enmity toward Russia and The “pro-Russian”. In that time already the US was behind Ukraine.
Besides some of anti-Russian are deeply associated neo-Nazis. Russia had to require demilitarization of Ukraine to make the balance of the relationship of both countries.
Ukraine’s Nazi problem is real, even if Putin’s denazification claim isn’t – CNBC THINK
Commentary: Ukraine’s neo-Nazi problem – Reuters
2. To stop Ukraine from joining NATO
Another reason widely known for Russia’s action is to prevent Ukraine joining NATO. Indeed, the issue of Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO is a threat to Russia. It could be the primary motivations behind Russia’s military action in Ukraine.
~What is NATO?
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organizations) is the largest powerful military alliances in the world. It consisted of 31 countries. Its primary role is to protect all members countries by politically and military forces.
NATO was founded in 1949, to provide as a whole cooperative security against Germany and the Soviet Union. Due to the destruction of the WWII.
In Modern Times, its purpose is not against Germany or Russia. Germany joined NATO in 1955. Even Russia has considered joining to it when Putin become Russian President in 2000. Today, NATO has been conforming to protect democracy against socialist or communist, that means still Russia can be the opposition side.
NATO, as a military alliance, would bring military infrastructure and potential threats near the border of Russia. Particularly, Ukraine’s location, which is a matter of national security for the Russian government.
NATO in Europe 2021
NATO in Europe 2022
NATO in Europe 2023
In the 1990s, Ukraine started to develop a relationship with NATO. Assisting its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But not officially joined NATO, Viktor Yushchenko, the third of Ukraine President planned to change its firmer relationship with NATO. At the other side, Russia was openly disagreed of Ukraine membership in NATO.
The eastward expansion of NATO causes the border of the Russia much vulnerable. The deployment of NATO missile facilities in Ukraine could be dire to Russia. Seemingly NATO members had tacit understanding what was the Russia’s concern.
To maintain the balance of the world’s leading superpowers NATO and Russia, Ukraine is standing at key point.
Here is the conversation between former US secretary of the State James Baker and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It is often sited as a historical reference.
The conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev and James Baker :
`Turning to German unification, Baker assures Gorbachev that “neither the president nor I intend to extract any unilateral advantages from the processes that are taking place,” and that the Americans understand the importance for the USSR and Europe of guarantees that “not an inch of NATO’s present military jurisdiction will spread in an eastern direction.” Baker argues in favor of the Two-Plus-Four talks using the same assurance:
Record of conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev and James Baker in Moscow – National Security Archive
It should be essential for NATO members to comprehend Russia’s concerns in order to keep the balance of the power, so that could avoid the conflict.
In 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, Ukraine’s membership was discussed, but there are some oppositions, regarding that might ignite the conflict between Russia and the West. A decision was made to offer no membership to Ukraine. Georgia had also similar situation, but not accepted membership
It is ultimately important for Russia, to keep Ukraine’s position to be neutral by security reasons.
Ukraine never gave up to join NATO, so that makes Russia seriously nervous. According to Declaration of state sovereignty of Ukraine, Ukraine confirmed and promised not to join NATO. That was the first announcement as an independent country from USSR (The Soviet Union).
Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine :
The Ukrainian SSR solemnly declares its intention of becoming a permanently neutral state that does not participate in military blocs and adheres to three nuclear-free principles: to accept, to produce and to purchase no nuclear weapons.
Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine
Russia perceives NATO’s expansion towards its borders as a threat to its national security and interests. To counter this perceived threat, Russia has taken actions aimed at preventing further NATO expansion and its own security.
3．To Claim Donbas & Crimea as part of Russia
One more reason Russia invaded to Ukraine is to claim Donbas and Crimea as part of Russia.
Donbas and Crimea in Map
In 2014, Russia invaded to annex Crimea on February 20th. Regarding there are the large majorities of pro-Russian in that area, Moscow was aiming to Federalization as obtaining effective leverage over Ukraine’s political decision, such as future engagement to European Union or NATO.
There is significant support to Russia in the region, since Crimea has long history being part of Russia. In 1783, after the Ottoman Empire’s dominance, Catherine II annexed the Crimea Peninsula as Russian Territory.
Catherine II manifesto on accession of Crimea Peninsula – Presidential Library
When Crimea became part of Ukraine is 1954, it was a gift from the Russian Soviet Federation of Socialist Republic (RSFSR) to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (UkrSSR), at the 300th anniversary of the “reunification of Ukraine with Russia.” That was a symbol of the boundless trust between them.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Crimea remained within Ukraine. The issue of Crimea was debated occasionally, then the Russian Federation sought to regain Crimea its destination.
The annexation was completed by Russia and Crimea on 18 March 2014. That was indeed controversial and was not recognized by the international countries.
The another part of the area, which many sympathies for pro-Russian is Donbas region. Particularly, Luhansk and Donetsk, possibly Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson. Ironically the Ukrainian government claims that Russia invaded the regions, most of pro-Russian regions are willing to vote for pro-Russian political parties.
“Technically, we’re Ukrainian. But Donbas is not Ukraine,”
by ‘Donbas is not Ukraine’: in industrial east, hopes for Russian rule FRANCE24
Russian as a native tongue in Ukraine
The annexation of Crimea by Russia ignited the fury of anti-Russian groups, who perceived pro-Russian as separatist from the government of Kyiv. This anger had already been building up against former president Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to reject a deal with EU The previous years.
Yanukovych was forced to fleet to Russia for his safety. Anti-Russian tendency spread among the Ukrainian government.
Then war started in March 2014, to sweep away pro-Russian. It called the Donbas war. People were killed by artillery shells fired by the Ukrainian army, died from famine, lack of water and medicine. It caused casualties and injuries among thousands of civilians, the persecution of civilian in Donbas had continued until Russia invaded and claimed as own territory.
To Russian, Ukraine and Ukrainian are part of Russia for long time, Ukrainians and Russians have always been one people, historically and spiritually part of one nation, said the president Putin.
Of course Ukraine is not belong to Russia any more, but at least some regions must belong to Russia. Putin had to act for people who prefer close to Russia, not to be enemy.
The War in Ukraine’s Donbas: Origins, Contexts, and the Future – JSTOR
Facts of Human Rights Violations – The Embassy of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Slovenia
