Vincent Vo
19112826
Introduction to International Relations Essay
Word Count: /1500
Reference: Harvard
Introduction to International Relations Essay – Assessment 3
Question 2 - In 2014, Russia made several military incursions into Ukrainian territory. Using your understanding of ONE international relations theory (Realism, Liberalism or Social Constructivism), explain why Russia intervened in the Ukraine
Intro
In 2014 Russia had made several military incursions into Ukrainian territory. However, Russia refused to acknowledge the new leadership stating that it came into power through unconstitutional means and armed insurrection. This was cited as the major excuse for Russia to deploy troops in Crimea to protect the majority Russian residents from extreme right forces. The two countries, Russia and Ukraine, had different reactions towards the armed violence and impeachment of the Ukrainian president. Such decision is yet to be known but according to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, believed that Ukraine would be part of a greater Russia but after the splitting of the Soviet Union, in 1991, more than 92% of Ukrainian citizens voted for independence. The Russian incursion into Ukrainian territory was believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin could restore the Russian empire with the hunger for dominance purely by force. The theory of realism and the assumption such as Balance of power, Nationalism and Alliance relates to how Russian made the incursion into Ukrainian territory. These Assumptions such as Balance of power, shows us that while the Russia had made incursions into Ukrainian Territory, Russia had still believed that they could expand the Russian empire.
Body 1
The theory of realism states that competing for power among other groups or other states/countries or as Joseph M. Grieco states “Realism sees international relation as a struggle for power and security among competing nation-states in a dangerous world” (Grieco, 2014, p 72). We see the theory of realism around the world through television news, newspapers, social media etc. An example of this theory is in 1991, when Ukraine had left the Soviet Union after majority of the Ukrainian population voted for independence, this was until in 2014, as Russia hungered to create a new Russian empire, we saw Russia had made military incursion into Ukrainian territory. As Russia had made military incursions into Ukrainian territory, president Vladimir Putin wanting to create a new Soviet Union links back to 1991 as Ukraine had left the Soviet Union and voted to become independent. Parting for the Soviet Union, Ukraine at that time had house majority of the soviet union’s soviet-era defences.
Body 2
Assumption – Balance of power
Realist theory is built on the assumption that the balance for power will conclude to other states responding to the threat or dangerous situation in international relations by forming alliances, this can be 2 or more states protecting another state on a mut...
