NATO’s Expansion versus Putin’s Imperial Ambitions: Analyzing NATO’s Role in Russia-Ukraine Crisis in the 21st Century

Abstract

The launch of a special operation by Russia in Ukraine, referred to by the West as a full-scale invasion, represents the most significant conflict to impact Europe since World War II. It is also among the biggest challenges for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The precipitating cause of the culmination of the Ukraine crisis can be attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request for a full-proof action plan for the inclusion of Ukraine in NATO and his admittance that giving up Ukraine's nuclear capability was a mistake. However, NATO-Russia relations were also at their lowest point. The organization's eastward expansion and the transformation of all Warsaw Pact states into NATO member states were the first signs of the beginning of a strained relationship in the 21st century between the longtime adversaries during the Cold War. The recent admission of Finland and the imminent inclusion of Sweden into the organization during the Ukraine crisis have further contributed to the existing tensions. The Russia-US trajectory of relations in the 21st century is also important when analyzing the Ukraine crisis. Through the available literature, this paper analyzes NATO's responsibilities and opportunities in light of the Ukraine crisis, as it completes its first anniversary and the conflicting parties remain at odds with no apparent possibility for dialogue soon. The analysis has focused on the organization's historical commitment to NATO, considering the United States shifting priorities from initial interest to eventual reluctance, Russia's established red line, and Ukraine's increasing impatience over the matter. Vladimir Putin's corresponding rationale for his actions has also been discussed briefly. The paper concludes by offering a viewpoint on the feasibility of establishing working NATO-Russia relations, accompanied by an examination of the fundamental prerequisites that need to be fulfilled for such a development to take place.