Ukraine Conflict: Ongoing conflict in Ukraine remains a significant geopolitical concern

 Overview 

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict poses significant political concern in the European region and around the world, as the crisis plays a crucial role in the development of the geopolitical situation in the region. This conflict has the potential to create major changes in terms of political relationships and have numerous implications.

 

As a former member of the USSR, Ukraine has deep and profound political, social, and economic bonds with Russia, thus resulting in solid diplomatic relations and historical ties.

 

During 2014 and the current 2022 crisis, Ukrainian-Russian relationships started to shatter as the Russian army launched a large-scale assault on Ukrainian cities. The ongoing crisis extends beyond the two countries and plays a major role in the development of the geopolitical landscape of the region.

Ukrainian-Russian Conflict : Major Geopolitical Development In The European Region And The World

The European region has been witnessing a major geopolitical development affecting bilateral and multilateral relations among countries, most notably the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, which has been a turning point in the region since 2008 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

 

This situation marked a noticeable escalation in Europe, threatening the security and stability of the region and having numerous implications.

 

One of the most significant geopolitical developments in Europe is the urge for Ukraine to join NATO to fend off the Russian assault and achieve safety and security. The invasion took a huge toll on the country and caused significant harm as millions of people were left without access to simple commodities such as food, electricity, and water.According to recent statistics, more than 23.000 people have been critically injured and more than 8.000 killed since February 2022. Also, almost 5 million Ukrainians have been displaced.

 

Furthermore, Ukrainian infrastructure suffered immense damage, as several facilities like hospitals, schools, and many more got destroyed and burned to the ground due to Russian air strikes. During June 2023, the number of Ukrainian refugees reached more than 5.1 million documented in Europe.

The Ukrainian-Russian conflict has a major impact on the global scale, not just Europe. Ukraine is one of the biggest exporters of grain in the world, and it feeds more than 400 million people around the globe. During the crisis, Ukraine was unable to export grain, which caused a food crisis in the world, especially in poor countries. In East Africa, more than 1.5 million children were affected by malnutrition.

 

The European Union states did not hesitate to retaliate with severe sanctions against Russia in response to the military aggression and human rights violations. In 2014, the EU imposed economic sanctions on Russia, targeting exchanges in specific fields like financial, trade, energy, transport, and other services provided to Russian people.

 

Moreover, in 2022, Russia was forbidden from partaking in the FIFA World Cup that took place in Qatar.

 

Some analysts think that Ukraine’s ties to the EU created tension and conflict with Russia in late 2013, which was pressuring Ukraine to join the non-yet-formed EAEU. Putin justified his assault by supporting separatists in southern Ukraine, which is home to ethnic Russians and Russian speakers. Putin refers to southern Ukraine as “new Russia.”.

One of the most notable geopolitical developments of the Ukraine-Russian conflict is the expansion of NATO, as Finland, which shares a more than 830-mile border with Russia, was accepted as part of the alliance in 2023.

Bottomline

The Ukrainian-Russian conflict marked a pivotal event in the European region, especially on a geopolitical level, for it brought about numerous developments in the region.

 

Furthermore, the crisis implications and consequences exceeded the European Union and had an impact on a global scale.