Unit 6 - Ukraine - Geopolitical Conflict

Question 1

What was the origin of the geopolitical conflict in Ukraine?

Answer 1

• began in November 2013 → the then-president of Ukraine suspended preparations for implementation of an association agreement with the EU

Question 2

What are the timeline of the events since 2013? - 2013

Answer 2

• 2013 Nov. - Tens of thousands of protesters for government’s decision to abandon plans to sign an association agreement with the EU, blaming Russian pressure

Question 3

What are the timeline of the events since 2013? - 2014

Answer 3

• 2014 - President flees to Russia, opposition takes over - Russian forces annex Crimea, prompting biggest East-West showdown since Cold War, the US and EU impose harsher sanctions on Russia → Pro-Russian armed groups seize parts of Ukraine regions on Russian border - Leading businessman Petro Poroshenko wins presidential election on pro-Western platform
• Pro-Russian forces shoot down Malaysian airliner over eastern Ukraine conflict zone, kills 298 on board → Nato confirms Russian troops, military equipment entering east Ukraine → elections produce convincing majority for pro-Western parties

Question 4

What are the timeline of the events since 2013? - 2015

Answer 4

• Germany and France broker a new Donbass deal, resulting in a tenuous ceasefire

Question 5

What are the timeline of the events since 2013? - 2016

Answer 5

• Economy returns to fragile growth after two years of turmoil

Question 6

What are the timeline of the events since 2013? - 2017

Answer 6

• Ukraine’s association agreement with the EU is ratified by all signatories, comes into force

Question 7

What are the timeline of the events since 2013? - 2018

Answer 7

• Russian President opens a bridge linking Russia to Crimea, an action Ukraine calls illegal - Ukraine is allowed to set up its own Orthodox Church independent of Russian supervision

Question 8

How did broadening and lengthening connections lead to conflict in Ukraine?

Answer 8

• Europe and Russia have different interests and values
• Ukraine can not meet both interests which leads to conflict between these two
• Europe support protestors that wanted better connections
• Russia backed the government that wanted less integration with europe
• Russia lost influence in Ukraine
• Russia started seizing territory in Ukraine
• Russia supports pro-russian rebels
• Europe placed sanctions on Russia

Question 9

How did transfer of capital, goods and people lead to conflict in Ukraine?

Answer 9

• Ukraine had been an important contributor to the Soviet Union’s economy
• the current crisis erupted when Russian special forces occupied Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, claiming it was protecting its port access to the Black Sea.
• Ukraine had planned to develop Crimea’s natural gas reserves in two years in a partnership with U.S. companies
• if they had accomplished this, Russia would have lost one of its largest customers

Question 10

How did economic interdependence lead to conflict in Ukraine?

Answer 10

• trade with Russia accounted for 26% of Ukraine’s economic activities, this trade accounted for only 2% of Russia’s GDP - Ukraine’s economy is dependent on Russia
• Russia wants to control Ukraine’s economy to maintain its regional stability
• groups of people want to integrate into the EU to get rid off this dependence on Russia and be more internationally interactive