Cote Blog 1

    The first current event situation that stands out to me the most are the development between NATO, the Republic of Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. The actions of Vladimir Putain and the Russian government are linked with the idea that international politics is about actors following their material interests. Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union and gained its independence in 1991, along with multiple other states as the Iron Curtain fell. Russia lost a large amount of world power and prestige with the massive territorial losses, and have ever since been slowly trying to incorporate its lost territories, now independent states, under its control again. As a way of intimidating Ukraine as it moves through the political process of joining NATO, Russia has mobilized over one hundred thousand troops on its Ukrainian border. It is very important to note that Russia forcefully annexed the Ukrainian territory, The Crimea, in 2014 as a way of boosting Russian naval power in the Black Sea. Such actions saw a lackluster and weak response from the international community.

    I recognize now that Russia is attempting to use coercion through military power to try and advance its material interests, which would be preventing Ukraine from joining NATO, which would make reincorporating Ukraine nearly impossible without a major armed conflict. When looking at this situation, realists and liberals would have a different approach on how Russia would best advance their material interests. Realists would say that coercion through military power would likely be the most efficient way of intimidating Ukraine into submission. However, in the real world, Ukraine has been backed by the United States and several of its NATO allies, meaning that Ukraine can go stride for stride with the Russian military if its allies fully commit. Realists would also agree with the United States’ policies that sent lethal weapons to the Ukrainian army because it is a way of exercising its expansive military resources to send a strong image to the international community, as well as give the USA more bargaining power when negotiating with different international officials. Liberals would take more of a focus on the impact of economics as a way for actors to advance their material interests. The United States has placed various sanctions on the Russian Federation and many of its oligarchs as a way to negatively affect the Russian economy and its key players for troop mobilization. Economic instability and stagnation are often key deterrents for states that have material interests, as the state in this modern world needs a stable economy for its people to support its leaders, and when that is threatened, leaders often back away in the pursuit of preserving their power. Liberals believe that this is an effective way that NATO and Ukraine, as well as any other international organizations, can intimidate Russia and move about their material interests, which would be Ukraine joining NATO to further strengthen the alliance. Although the liberal methodology of material interest advancement is not guaranteed to be effective, if it can prevent conflict and the loss of human lives, then it is worth the effort.