USA Africa Dialogue Series - Variables in the Ukraine-Russian Conflict

What is this Ukraine-Russian

war about? Here are twelve

short term and long term

variables to consider:

1.  Neo- Cold War superpower  

      rivalries between NATO and

      Russia.

2. Trans border ethnic /diaspora  

       solidarity in the light of the

       perceived persecution of  

       Russians in Eastern Ukraine.

3.  Russian security and border

      concerns and fears of  

      encirclement by the West

4. The rise of Neo-Nazis in Ukraine

5.  Russian diversion from internal

      economic and political  difficulties

6.  Putin's megalomania

7.   Failure of all regional and global

      organizations connected to the

      issue, including the UN, in conflict

      resolution

8.  The 2014 destabilization that

      dislodged a pro-Russian

      leadership and installed what

      is perceived as a puppet of the

      other camp

9.  The proliferation of weapons -

      and an unbridled arms race on all

      sides- a boon for the weapons

       industry

10. Russian neo- colonial sentiments

11. The invasions of Iraq, Afghanistan

       and Libya as negative models

       of conflict resolution and

       precedents for potential violators.

12.  Failure of the Minsk Agreements  

        of 2015.

Professor Gloria Emeagwali
Prof. of History/African Studies, CCSU
africahistory.net; vimeo.com/ gloriaemeagwali
Recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Research
Excellence Award, Univ. of Texas at Austin;
2019 Distinguished Africanist Award
New York African Studies Association