Ukraine Crisis: Russia’s Claim Does Not Hold Up

Russia is trying to make excuses for its deployment of military forces near Ukraine, but its actions are nothing but a threat of force that is prohibited by international law.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is amassing an unprecedented number of troops around Ukrainian borders. If Russia begins a full-scale invasion, it could lead to the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

Russia is demanding that United States-led NATO deny protections to Ukraine. However, the U.N. charter prohibits threats of military force that aim to threaten a nation’s territory or political independence. This fundamental rule of the postwar international order is based on the lessons learned from both world wars.

Russia is already trampling on the intentions of the charter. Even though it had a responsibility as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to protect the principle of sovereign equality of independent nations, eight years ago Russian forces took control of the Crimean Peninsula. Putin insists that he is “certain that the true sovereignty of Ukraine is possible precisely in partnership with Russia.”

Some argue that European nations that are members of NATO, together with Japan which is tied to the U.S. by security treaties, have already relinquished part of their sovereignty.

Every country has the right to decide its own security policies. Putin’s attitude of limiting the sovereignty of other nations as he pleases simply cannot be allowed.

The increase of diplomatic efforts by European leaders is a positive development. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Putin to issue a warning. German and French leaders affirmed their unity with Western powers.

Along with deploying armed forces to countries neighboring Ukraine, the U.S. and European nations are prepared to issue strong sanctions if Russia were to invade. However, many European nations depend on Russia for electric power.

If the situation devolves into an armed conflict, Russia, Europe and the world order would suffer a serious blow. In order to prevent a catastrophe, each country must work together to make Putin see reason.

A heavy responsibility rests with the U.S. Although it can be said that the fault lies with Russia, it cannot be denied that the revocation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and a treaty limiting interceptor missiles, signed during the Soviet era, strengthened suspicions about Russia.

The U.S. and Russia possess more than 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. The U.S. should take this opportunity to restart its disarmament and arms control efforts. It is an opportunity to change the course of the arms race of recent years, which includes China, and explore a new international security framework.

This is not a situation that Japan can ignore. Fluctuations in international principles will eventually spread to Asia. We must take steps toward our own diplomatic measures to dissuade Russia rather than passively following the West.