Role of NATO’s expansion in the Ukraine crisis

What is it about?

The crisis in Ukraine has exposed the underlying tensions between the East and the West. The author of this article suggests that NATO's expansion and the prospect of Ukraine joining this alliance have played a role in the ongoing debate on Europe’s security requirements. NATO has continued to expand ignoring these concerns. This has led to the perception that Russia is losing control over strategic territories and providing the West with access to its resources. The result is the resurfacing of an "unfinished" Cold War.

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Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

Why is it important?

There were stark contrasts in ideologies between NATO and the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO). For a long time, the security of Europe was defined by these ideological differences. The WTO, of which Ukraine was a former member, dissolved in 1991 with the collapse of the USSR. The European leaders hoped that NATO would follow suit as there was no longer a need for collective security against the Soviet Union. But NATO sought to expand instead of dissolving its membership. This baffled the Russian leaders from all political factions. It also created uncertainties regarding NATO's goals and the supposed benefits that member countries got. The NATO-Russia council was formed to discuss these concerns. But, relations have remained strained due to the lack of meaningful dialogue between these two ideologically opposed factions. KEY TAKEAWAY: The West and Russia have failed to engage in constructive dialogue to facilitate an inclusive “security architecture” in Europe. To a large extent, the Ukraine crisis and security threats in Europe are products of this long-standing failure. The question remains whether the relationship between Russia and the West can be repaired, with Ukraine at the forefront of the conversation.