RUSSIFICATION IN MODERN DAYS : ANALYZING GEORGIA AND UKRAINE SEPARATISTS AS RUSSIA STRATEGY AGAINST NATO’S EXPANSION

Abstract

Since the demise of the Soviet Union the cold war, a glimpse of hope in any improvement of Russia and the West relation sparked. However, it did not last as the relations between these two parties soured over times and tension rises. Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has three main goals to achieve: 1.) reassert Russian global great power status since the cold war; 2.) Gain supremacy over the former Soviet Union territories (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan) 3.) Establishing sphere of influence in the international system in order to achieve dominance. The tension between Russia and NATO back to the first attempt of NATO’s enlargement by the fall of the Berlin wall in November 1989 followed by Soviet acceptance of German reunification in NATO in July 1990. However, if NATO continues their enlargement, Russia might feel isolated from the European political and security sphere of influence. Moreover, since NATO’s enlargement itself created clash of interest with Russia, conflict between Russia and NATO may ensue.

Keywords

• Russification, Separatists, NATO, Security dilemma, buffer