The Truth About NATO, Russia, and the Ukraine Crisis

If you’ve been paying attention to the news over the past few years, you know that there’s been a lot of talk about NATO, Russia, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. But what’s really going on? Who’s telling the truth? And why does it matter? Let’s take a look.

The roots of the current crisis go back to the early 1990s, when the Soviet Union collapsed, and Ukraine became an independent nation. As part of the deal that allowed for this peaceful transition, it was agreed that NATO would not expand eastward into former Soviet territory. This promise was essential in assuaging Russian fears about being encircled by a hostile military alliance; after all, NATO had been formed as a bulwark against Soviet expansion during the Cold War. However, starting in 1999 with the admission of Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic, NATO began expanding eastward after all—a move that Moscow saw as a direct violation of the agreement made just a few years earlier.

Russia’s response to this perceived slight was twofold. First, in 2008, Russia occupied and subsequently annexed the Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This sent a clear message to both NATO and Ukraine that Russia was willing and able to use military force to protect its interests in the region. Second, Russia began using its vast reserves of natural gas as a political weapon, using energy cutoffs as leverage in disputes with both Georgia and Ukraine.

All of this culminated in 2014 with the Euromaidan Revolution in Kiev, which saw pro-Western protesters oust pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from power. In response, Russia annexed Crimea—a peninsula in southern Ukraine with a largely Russian-speaking population—and began supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. The result has been over five years of war and more than 13,000 casualties, a conflict that shows no signs of abating anytime soon.

What started as a disagreement over whether or not NATO would expand eastward has spiraled into a full-blown international crisis. America needs to make peace in the region the number one priority. There is far-reaching implications for global stability. Different media outlets tell different stories, so it can be difficult to sort out fact from fiction. But understanding what’s really going on is important; after all, as they say, knowledge is power. Anyone looking at this situation needs to factor in news source and geopolitical bias.