Evaluation of The Ukrainian Crisis Within The Context of Regional Security Complex Theory

Year 2017, Volume: 6 Issue: 1-2, 9 - 31, 01.06.2017

Burak Sarıkaya

Abstract

Ukraine is geographically located as a buffer zone between Russia and Europe. The peoples of Ukraine have shared common historical cultures and backgrounds with the Russians. Ukraine is a trans corridor for the European Union (EU) in terms of energy transmission lines and has a coast to the Black Sea. Due to these factors, its strategic significance has increased for Russian Federation (RF). These common values that Ukraine has shared with Russia and its own strategic position have consistently been in the centre of Russian Federation’s near abroad doctrine. There have been two factors which have triggered the crisis in the region: the conflicting forms of perception of regional actors such as the EU and Russia Federation and the fact that the Ukrainian peoples have been continuously forced to choose one side. The main objective of this study is to assess the 2014 Crisis case within the framework of Russian Federation-UkraineEurope relations in line with the qualitative definition of the Regional Security Theory. First, the conceptual framework of the theory on which study is based will be drawn. Following this part, Ukraine will be assessed with considering historical, social and strategic vectors that it possesses and how these vectors affect its foreign policy making process and the effect of these vectors on security perception. Finally, after giving a brief background of the 2014 Crisis, the regional triggers of the crisis will be addressed, and the conception of these regional triggering factors which perceive Ukraine and how political expectations securitizes the region will be assessed

Keywords

Regional Security Complex, Post-Soviet Area, European Security Area, Buffer Front, Near Abroad Doctrine

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