U.S. Interests in Crimea
opinion Essay
1399 words
In a recent White House brief, President Obama called the Russian invasion of Crimea a clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law. When assessing the Russo-Ukrainian crises in Crimea, the commander of European Command (EUCOM) and the Supreme Allied Commander of European Forces (SACUER) must account for U.S. interests in the region before deciding a proper course of action. This essay aims to assess four of the United States’ national interests through the perspective of EUCOM and SACUER. The first section will outline the role of EUCOM and SACUER in the European region and assess the overall problem of Russia invading Crimea. The second section will outline four of the United States’ national interests at stake: international order, trade and economic prosperity, energy supply, and freedom of the seas. In doing so, this assessment of U.S. interests in Crimea supports the options of non-intervention and a non-provocative stance in order to maintain long-term stability because the Russian invasion has only violated peripheral interests of EUCOM and SACUER.
One of EUCOM's primary roles is to strengthen NATO's collective defense and assist its transformation since the fall of the Soviet Union. This is accomplished through building partner capacity to enhance transatlantic security. EUCOM supports American interests in Europe as outlined in the National Security Strategy:
The security of the United States, its citizens, and U.S. allies and partners; A strong, innovative, and growing U.S. economy in an open international economic system that promotes opportunity and prosperity; Respect for universal values at home and around the world; and An international order advance by U.S. leadershi...
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...r responsibility in addressing its alliances and protecting the flow of energy resources in the European region. Use of force through NATO in Crimea is also not likely as the increased escalation of force or war is not worth risking lives in order to uphold the image of sovereignty of a non-NATO country.
Bibliography
"NATO Confirms Readiness for Ukraine's Joining Organization." KyivPost, accessed March, 16, 2014, http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/nato-confirms-readiness-for-ukraines-joining-organ-63797.html.
"NATO Launches 'Intensified Dialogu' with Ukraine." NATO, accessed March, 16, 2014, http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2005/04-april/e0421b.htm.
Lowther, Adam and Casey Lucius. "Identifying America's Vital Interests." Space and Defense 7, no. 1 (Winter, 2014): 39-52.
Obama, Barrack. "Statement by the President on Ukraine." , accessed March 17, 2014.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that president obama called the russian invasion of crimea a clear violation of ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law. this essay aims to assess four of the united states' national interests through the perspective of eucom and sacuer.
- Explains that eucom's primary role is to strengthen nato’s collective defense and assist its transformation since the fall of the soviet union.
- Describes the benefits of a strong, innovative, and growing u.s. economy in an open international economic system that promotes opportunity and prosperity.
- Explains that the combatant commander's actions in eucom directly reflect u.s. interests in the region, while the latter accounts for the interests of allies.
- Explains that ukraine's accession to nato has been a topic of debate over the last decade. the nato-ukraine action plan governs ukraine’s relationship with nato.
- Explains that nato's interest in ukraine revolves around building a partnership with the possibility of gaining its accession, which also includes maintaining stability in the region and protecting the flow of energy resources.
- Explains that the u.s., russia, united kingdom, france, china, and ukraine signed the budapest memorandum on security assurances (1994) where the ukraine relinquished its nuclear arms.
- Opines that nato intervention could cause an escalation of force with russia gaining the crimean peninsula with congressional support.
- Explains that the u.s. and european allies have minimal impact on trade and economics unless there is grinding halt to the flow of oil from russia.
- Opines that the third u.s. interest is the protection of energy supply—primarily oil. the internal division of ukraine and russian expansion into crimea has created controversy over energy security.
- Argues that the russian invasion of crimea is arguably to gain its major naval and port assets previously established under the soviet union.
- Opines that eucom and nato can use military force to deter russian expansion and re-establish stability in ukraine. this option would likely be met with escalated force from russia.
- Opines that eucom can use diplomatic and economic sanctions to deter russia, which is the most viable option, as it does not put u.s. lives in harms way.
- Concludes that u.s. interests in crimea are the peripheral interests of maintaining international order, territorial sovereignty, and protection of allied nations flow of energy resources.
- Explains that nato confirms readiness for ukraine's joining organization. kyivpost, accessed march 16, 2014.
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