Tensions Rising Between NATO and Russia

The crisis in Crimea has risen to greater heights because its implications are so much greater than just Crimea. The question of Crimea is not for or against Crimea or Ukraine even, but for or against Russia. 

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The crisis has obviously gotten huge amounts of international attention and has continued to grow, attracting the attention of many international organizations such as NATO.

 The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has warned Moscow many times that they need to pull back their troops from the Ukrainian border, otherwise further action would need to be taken. 

As of right now, NATO has suspended all practical military and civilian cooperation with Russia. NATO has also explored the possibility of deploying troops into Eastern Europe permanently. It has become clear just how high tensions are surrounding the situation on a global scale. 

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NATO has accused Russia of having some 40,000 troops prepared for combat along the Ukrainian border, stirring up ethnic tensions in Ukraine, and generally not being transparent or peaceful in the exchange. Correspondingly, Russia has accused NATO of keeping a Cold War mentality and perpetuating an old conflict. The Kremlin stated that, “The constant accusations against us by the secretary general convince us that the alliance is trying to use the crisis in Ukraine to rally its ranks in the face of an imaginary external threat to NATO members and to strengthen demand for the alliance... in the 21st century."

Clearly, neither side is at any point to engage in rational discussion so it would appear that the rest of us can only watch and wait for the time being.

Original Sources:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/us-ukraine-crisis-russia-nato-idUSBREA390FI20140410

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/nato-chief-presses-russia-to-pull-back-troops-from-ukraine-border/article17912150/

http://theweek.com/article/index/259732/speedreads-russia-blames-nato-for-russias-neighbors-being-nervous-about-russia

Unlikely Support for Russia

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/32120

      Following the tension surrounding the G7’s snubbing of Russia, other emerging economies have rallied around Russia. China, Brazil, India, and South Africa have rejected the possibility of snubbing Russia further by excluding them from the 2014 G20 Summit meeting that is set to be held in Brisbane in November. 

      The general consensus of these countries is that escalation of hostility and intensification of sanction will not be constructive to a solution and will certainly not be a sustainable solution to the Crimea and Ukraine crises. 

 

http://guardianlv.com/2014/02/g20-leaders-agree-to-boost-global-economy/

      China, Brazil, India, and South Africa have also stated that, “The custodianship of the G20 belongs to all member states equally and no one member state can unilaterally determine its nature”. This seems to be a comment perhaps pointed at the United States, criticizing their involvement in Russian affairs. 

      The most interesting perhaps of the countries to support Russia would be China, especially considering their huge interdependence on the United States. While China relates with the United States economically, they relate much more closely ideologically of course with Russia. 

 

http://thecasualtruth.com/story/us-china-economic-relationshipjpg

      Still though, despite the similarities in their ideologies, it is curious that China would jeopardize their economic partnership with the US to stand by Russia.

Original Source: http://euobserver.com/foreign/123616