Analysis of the Ukraine Crisis through the Theories of International Relations.
On February 18th, the Ukrainian Parliament voted against limiting the powers of President Yanukoych who was a strong supporter of keeping ties with the Russian government1. This vote came after months of protests within Ukraine's capital of Kiev to limit the presidential powers and give amnesty to captive protestors. These protests in Kiev started peacefully, but eventually started to become more chaotic leading to violent clashes between protesters and police and, in late January, two people were shot and killed by officers2. Just prior to the vote, peace seemed within range with amnesty being given to the arrested activist and the idea of limiting presidential power seemed realistic. However, after the parliament voted against limiting powers, the flames of revolution grew and the violence intensified. Beginning on February 20th, a two day period of violence erupted on both sides leaving an estimated hundred dead and hundreds injured according to health ministry in Kiev3. In the late month of February, after escalating tensions within the nation of Ukraine and pressure from the EU, President Yanukoych resigned his power to the parliament and fled the country to seek asylum in Russia4. Since then the situation in Ukraine has intensified leading to two questions: Why did the current situation in Ukraine occur? What will the resolution of the crisis be? This paper will be formatted in a way that starts with a brief background of the situation and details of what is currently happening, to explaining why this crisis escalated by examining the Western foreign policy from a neoliberalism point of view, and examining Russia's foreign policy through a realist point of view. Then based on this information what the resolution will be through the point of view that best correlates with the situation. That point of view suggests that the Ukraine separatist will fall, and Russia being the dominant in this situation will pursue its self-interest and continue to hold the nation of Ukraine in its grip for personal resources.
