Vladimir Putin is the current President of the nation of Russia. Association between Russia and the Western part of the world are intensifying. March 14th of 2014, Russia annexed Crimea as part of its own national territory. As background, Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union. Once Ukraine became an independent nation, the region of Crimea became part of Ukraine. The Soviet Union was disbanded. As indicated in history “Crimea, which has an ethnic Russian majority, has long been a semiautonomous region within Ukraine.”1The annexation of Crimea by Russia occurred in the aftermath of a revolution in Ukraine that cut the pro-Russian president from power. Thus, a referendum was held in Crimea. The people of Crimea wanted to become part of Russia,
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Russia wanted to start intensifying military activity particularly aimed at Crimea. Then there came a referendum which gave Crimea a chance to vote on where they would stand in the dilemma. Out of the 82% of Crimean’s that voted 96% of them said that they should join Russia.10 Putin stated that Russia was “in full compliance with democratic procedures and international norms”.11 This is a controversial matter that the European Union and America are calling illegitimate and illegal. The voting slip had only two options: become an independent state or join Russia. This was the root of the problem for the West, there was not a counter option.12 He also claims that it is the will of the citizens that the region is being annexed. It is “practically impossible to fight the will of people,” he said before signing the official document of annexation. Putin “no longer proposes that Russia achieve the unrealistic goal of counter-balancing American power, his economic modernization project continues to be driven by a desire to preserve Russia’s great-power status. Unlike Gorbachev and Kozyrev, Putin aspires to be recognized by the West as a leader of a great power, not merely the head of a market democracy.”13Realists perceive the annexation solely as a way for Russia to gain power, which is not entirely true. The balance of power happens naturally in an international setting. The Russian government has agreed with NATO regarding beliefs on many
Russia wanted to start intensifying military activity particularly aimed at Crimea. Then there came a referendum which gave Crimea a chance to vote on where they would stand in the dilemma. Out of the 82% of Crimean’s that voted 96% of them said that they should join Russia.10 Putin stated that Russia was “in full compliance with democratic procedures and international norms”.11 This is a controversial matter that the European Union and America are calling illegitimate and illegal. The voting slip had only two options: become an independent state or join Russia. This was the root of the problem for the West, there was not a counter option.12 He also claims that it is the will of the citizens that the region is being annexed. It is “practically impossible to fight the will of people,” he said before signing the official document of annexation. Putin “no longer proposes that Russia achieve the unrealistic goal of counter-balancing American power, his economic modernization project continues to be driven by a desire to preserve Russia’s great-power status. Unlike Gorbachev and Kozyrev, Putin aspires to be recognized by the West as a leader of a great power, not merely the head of a market democracy.”13Realists perceive the annexation solely as a way for Russia to gain power, which is not entirely true. The balance of power happens naturally in an international setting. The Russian government has agreed with NATO regarding beliefs on many