The Ukrainian government has sounded the alarm about the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and EU leaders have begun putting pressure on Moscow. The 27-member bloc is supporting the Ukrainians, and has taken steps to isolate Russia. It has funded arms deliveries to Kyiv, blocked Russian planes from E.U. airspace, and imposed tough economic sanctions. But is the war really over? So far, more than 422,000 Ukrainians have fled the country. More than 300 people have been killed and injured in the attack by the Russian army.
Ukraine and Russia are engaged in a proxy war in eastern Ukraine. After the 2014 annexation of Crimea, pro-Russian separatists proclaimed two new republics: the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic. Hundreds of thousands of Russian special-operations troops entered the peninsula. Afterward, they held a referendum, which was condemned by the world and the Ukrainian government.
The United States and its European allies have imposed additional sanctions on Russia and seized two Russian military aircraft. The United States and European allies have also facilitated a significant increase in lethal aid shipments to Ukraine. Other NATO countries have begun contributing forces to NATO Response Force operations in Eastern Europe. But there’s more: The conflict in eastern Ukraine has been a nightmare for millions of Ukrainians, and the conflict between the two countries has left no one happy.
Although there’s no definitive answer to the question, the current tensions in eastern Ukraine have not abated. The Trump administration and the EU have increased their security assistance to Ukraine, while putting pressure on Russia over the situation. In January 2018, the United States and the European Union approved a sale of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, the first such sales since the conflict began. In October 2018, the United States and Ukraine held large-scale air exercises in western Ukraine. In September, both countries conducted their own annual military exercises, which are the largest since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In August, the Ukrainian government renounced its sanctions against Russia and sent peacekeeping troops into eastern Ukraine. The US and its European allies were unable to negotiate, and Putin denied their requests to make peace. After the crisis, Putin called on the EU to stop the invasion. But Kyiv has refused to abide by these sanctions. In September, the UN General Assembly unanimously voted to formally accept the deal.
While the Ukrainian government has declared a ceasefire, Russian authorities have remained adamant that further military actions against Ukrainian civilians are illegal. It has ordered its military to take a stand and is attempting to seize territory in the east. If they continue to resist, they could threaten the country. It could take several months to get back on its feet. It is unclear whether or not the conflict will end anytime soon.
A recent report by the National Security Council reveals that the Ukrainian military has seized two Russian airborne combat vehicles. The Russian forces are likewise halting their attacks. The US Department of State released daily press briefings on the conflict, and the OSCE has issued a weekly update on the situation. Both reports have been contradictory, but both have confirmed that they continue to be at war. Further, the OSCE is threatening to deploy more troops in the eastern regions.
Currently, Russian military forces are attacking Ukraine from multiple directions, and the Ukrainian government does not know which way the attacks are coming from. Many Ukrainians are fleeing to safety and the borders with Poland are growing rapidly. The civilian casualties are growing. It is now crucial for the world to act against Russia and take back the region. However, there is no way to say if war will break out in Russia and Ukraine.
The Russian government is refusing to negotiate with Kiev. The Russian military’s latest demands are unconvincing. And there is no sign that this conflict is over. There are still a few key differences between the two countries. And despite their differences, they are still at war. The Ukraine-Russia relationship is not a good example of the world’s stability. In addition, the Ukrainian army is a democracy.