Miles MitchellProfessor MaticPOSC 3610March 30, 2014The Ukrainian crisisI. IntroductionThe current international crisis involving Russia and Ukraine developed in the aftermath of the 2014 revolution in Ukraine. As a result, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was deposed and quickly fled the capital. An interim government was formed around Oleksandr Turchinov as interim president. Germany and the United States quickly recognized this new government, unlike Russia. In late February, pro-Russian militias began taking control of Crimea, part of eastern Ukraine. Little by little, they dominated the peninsula and effectively took control of it. Shortly after, Crimeans held a referendum and decided by an overwhelming majority to join Moscow. The West and Ukraine's interim government condemned the move, as did the United Nations General Assembly. Nevertheless, Russia effectively absorbed Crimea. The initial spark of the crisis was Ukraine's Europeanization process. It was a major turning point in the crisis. The March 16 referendum is contested due to the absence of international observers. While the West views Russia's soft annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law, Russians say Crimea wanted to secede from a country they considered hostile. The Ukrainian central government considers this a violation of international law. Ultimately, with the help of Russian military intervention, Crimea managed to break its ties. These types of intrusive actions are not necessarily new for Moscow. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008. Eventually, the West applied enough diplomatic pressure to end the short-lived conflict. However, Russia captured Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russian troops still occupy. The United States, alongside the Europeans... middle of paper ...... deployment of international observers and general de-escalation of the situation. Another area of ​​contention concerns the degree of federalization that the new Ukrainian government will benefit from. President Obama reconfirmed his commitments to NATO and announced new military deployments in Eastern Europe. However, a conciliatory "walk-off" approach may be possible as Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to explore possible diplomatic solutions. However, some skepticism surrounds this possibility, as the two sides may still have irreconcilable differences on the issue (for example, President Obama has called on Russia to withdraw its troops from the border, something the Russians will not commit to). maybe not). One of the most influential factors in the crisis could be the results of the Ukrainian presidential election to be held on May 25..