An Unnecessary War of Fame: The East and West NATO’s Enlargement Strategies and the Geopolitics of Russo- Ukrainian Conflict (Published)
Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the most critical geopolitical crises the world leaders are facing currently. And is being seen as one of the most serious test of European security in the recent time, and its presents a serious challenge as to understanding of President Putin’s geopolitical intentions while, these grievances included the long-simmering dispute over the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the legitimacy of Ukrainian identity as well as their statehood. It reflected a worldview Putin had long expressed, emphasizing the deep-seated unity among the Eastern Slavs-Russians and Ukrainians who they both trace their origins to the medieval Kyivan Rus commonwealth-and suggesting that the modern states of Russia and Ukraine should share a common political destiny now and in the future. Owing to that view is the claim that distinct Ukrainian identity is the product of foreign manipulation mostly, by Russia’s acclaimed imperial rivals; using Ukraine as part of an “anti-Russia project. Consequently, the paper revealed that NATO is not only Russia’s problem but, Russia’s ambitions to extend beyond preventing Ukrainian NATO membership and encompass a more detailed aspiration to dominate Ukraine politically, militarily, and economically triggered the current conflict in Ukraine. The paper further revealed that Russia is almost certain to flop in its bid to establish lasting control over its neighbors owing to external factors, mostly the West and the nonconformist nature of Ukraine government. Therefore, concludes that if Russia must feel fully secure with regard to Ukraine, Ukraine must be territorially truncated or geopolitically neutralized by Russia. Then, if neutralization is not feasible as a strategy, Russia must renewed stability, though, this option would largely depend either on the West agreeing in renewed Russian control of Ukraine, or on Russia accepting the loss of Ukraine. It is most likely that a non-cooperative result will emerge at the end of the day, in which Russia may limit its military activity, but will continue to ensure that Ukraine cannot do what is desired to achieve or join Europe-west- NATO world.
Keywords: Conflict, East and West, European Union., NATO’s enlargement, Russia, Ukraine, War, geopolitics