Hubungan Rusia-Ukraine Pasca Keruntuhan Kesatuan Soviet: Dari Perselisihan Kecil Ke Kancah Perang

Abstract

After the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine and Russia established good cooperation in various aspects despite some shifts in domestic issues. Ukraine adopted a policy of neutrality in its administration because it needed cooperation from various parties, including Russia and the West. However, everything changed when Ukraine expressed its desire to join NATO in 2008. This desire was welcomed by NATO but opposed by Russia, leading to an ongoing conflict with Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of Donbas. This study aims to explain the development of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and identify the triggering factors between the two countries. The library method was used to gather secondary information from books, journals, reports, newspapers, and credible Internet sources. The study found that Russia's attack on Ukraine was driven by the need to ensure its survival and sovereignty against major powers such as the US and NATO, which were increasingly approaching the Eastern Europe region. The study also found two factors that triggered the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, namely internal and external factors. External factors such as the expansion of power and influence of the United States, the European Union, and NATO approaching Russia's borders, as well as Russia's geo-economic power beyond its borders, played a role in triggering the conflict. Meanwhile, internal factors include the presence of Russian elite groups that play a role in making important state decisions and Russia's formidable military capabilities.