New geopolitical situation in the result of Russia-West resistance
On Sunday, by the referendum held in Crimea, according to the authorities, more than 95 % of the participants voted in favor of detachment from Ukraine and joining Russia. The official Moscow believes that the referendum held in Crimea is legitimate.
The international community continues announcing that it will not recognize the findings of the referendum. The United States President Barack Obama, in his telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced that the U.S. and its European partners are ready to impose additional sanctions against Russia for violating the sovereignty of Ukraine. The matter is about freezing the bank accounts of 130 Russian officials and heads of major companies (the names of the head of “Rosneft” Igor Sechin and the head of “Gazprom” Alexei Miller may appear in the “black” list), as well as about their visa bans.
Regardless of the harsh and diplomatic unprecedented sharp statements, the West and Moscow will go for concessions and will offer steps ahead to mitigate the rather complex relationship as a result of the Ukrainian developments.
Read also
Last Sunday, for example, famous broadcaster of “Vesti nedeli” Dmitry Kiselyov intimidated the U.S. with a nuclear explosion, if the conflict with Russia further escalated due to the Crimea. He has said that Russia is the only country in the world that can make U.S. turn into a radioactive ash. Former U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul stated that the U.S. and Russia relationship is entering a new phase, which is reminiscent of the times of “Cold War”. “Ideological struggle between democracy and authoritarianism is reviving. The protection of European countries from the Russian aggression is again of paramount importance.”
Despite all similar assessments, there are already announcements voiced that indicate that “fight” has moved from Maidan to Russia-West field, and now the players will play, arranged and come to consensus on this plane. The United States is still open to regulate the sharp contradictions occurred with Russia over the events in Ukraine in a diplomatic path, announced the White House spokesman Jay Carney, adding that Washington still hopes that there is an opportunity to resolve disagreements between Russia and the West, respecting the international norms.
And Moscow is operating a unique “energy” trick. “Gazprom” company is trying to provide support of European customers by offering discounts on gas prices. As conveyed by Russian “Vedomosti ” newspaper, the information around the negotiations with “Gazprom” regarding the terms are approved by a number of European companies.
The diplomatic skirmish between Moscow and the West will continue for a long time, the sanctions may be very hard over Russia, in terms of political and socio-economic. Russia did not halt against anything at the cost of isolation, aiming to prove that it will go for any step, just to push its interests ahead.
It is evident for everyone that the Crimean referendum was conducted under the pressure of Russian military intervention, Russia with its actions has violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. However, nothing is over with the Crimean referendum, it seems like everything is just starting. Moscow does not hide the temptation of reaching the tension to the military stage, however, every day information on provocations are received, and how long the nerves of the Ukrainian authorities will stand, it’s hard to say.
The risk of Russia’s international isolation, the dividing line, which was set up between Russia and the West, can also become dangerous for Armenia, as a Russian ally in the region. Russia-Ukraine, and Russia-West confrontation will create a new geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus, too, and in this new situation, we should try to act so that Armenian will not have losses or at least make them to the minimum. For example, with regard to Nagorno-Karabakh, the work of the OSCE Minsk Group with three triple-chair states should be continued, and in this format, the disagreements between the United States and Russia should nowise influence on the negotiation process, even on the process, the results of which are not recorded.
For us, Armenians, no matter how the right to self-determination of nations is caressing the ear, drawing parallels between Nagorno-Karabakh and Crimea is really far from the logic. Drawing such parallels, we, with our own hands, are making Karabakh a “territory” and a subject of “buy-and-sale” in the hands of the superpowers, and for the sake of justice, it should be stated that a reasonable response was voiced by the official Yerevan on this occasion (which can not be said in the case of Stepanakert), when reminded that on December 10, 1991, the people of Nagorno Karabakh decided the destiny of Nagorno-Karabakh through referendum, and we strive to achieve the recognition of NKR, internationally. It turns out, however, that the NKR Foreign Ministry is viewing the referendum in the Crimea as another manifestation of exercising the right to self-determination of the nations. Under the invasion of Russian troops, the referendum held in Crimea, regardless of what percentage of the population there dreams about living in the composition of Russia, as a means of expressing free will, first, was far from being democratic, in addition, it was not a referendum of self-determination or independence. What self-determination are you talking about, when the Crimean parliament, yesterday, was renamed the State Council, adopted the declaration of independence and promptly submitted an official application to the Russian Federation on unification…
Whereas Maidan, as a struggle of nations on the way to establish universal human values, and self-determination preservation and to oppose the Kremlin’s imperial ambitions, can even be contagious for today’s Russian society.
Emma GABRIELYAN
