Peace in Our Time - Part 5
This series of articles has been investigating similarities between Germany's 1938 annexation of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia and Russia's recent aggression against Ukraine.
In part 1 of this series, we reviewed Hitler's 1938 speeches justifying acquiring the Sudetenland. Hitler's justification for taking the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia resembles Putin's for invading Ukraine, as we'll cover later in the series.
In part 2, we looked at British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's defense of the appeasement of Germany.
In part 3, we looked at the opposition to the 1938 appeasement policy.
In part 4, we reviewed Ukraine’s historical development.
In this post we look at Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
2014 – Russia Annexes Crimea
In late 2013, the Ukrainian parliament had approved a treaty providing for closer relations with the West. However, the government, now led by a pro-Russian President, refused to sign the treaty. Protests erupted and continued into February 2014, when the pro-Russian government was overthrown and replaced by a provisional (pro-western) government. Elections were scheduled for later in the year.
In March 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula.
On March 18, 2014, Putin gave a speech justifying the seizure of Crimea. Highlights of his speech:
“A referendum was held in Crimea on March 16 in full compliance with democratic procedures and international norms. More than 82 percent of the electorate took part in the vote. Over 96 percent of them spoke out in favor of reuniting with Russia.” (The UN security council declared the referendum invalid, although Russia vetoed that resolution)
“The referendum was fair and transparent, and the people of Crimea clearly and convincingly expressed their will and stated that they want to be with Russia.”
“In people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an inseparable part of Russia.”
“After the [1917 communist] revolution, the Bolsheviks added large sections of the historical South of Russia to the Republic of Ukraine. This was done with no consideration for the ethnic make-up of the population.”
“…in 1954, a decision was made to transfer Crimean Region to Ukraine… What stood behind this decision – a desire to win the support of the Ukrainian political establishment or to atone for the mass repressions of the 1930’s in Ukraine – is for historians to figure out.”
“… this decision was made in clear violation of the constitutional norms that were in place even then.”
“Millions of people went to bed in one country and awoke in different ones, overnight becoming ethnic minorities in former Union republics…”
“…our relations with Ukraine, with the fraternal Ukrainian people have always been and will remain of foremost importance for us.”
“…we hoped that Russian citizens and Russian speakers in Ukraine, especially its southeast and Crimea, would live in a friendly, democratic and civilized state…”
“Time and time again attempts were made to deprive Russians of their historical memory, even of their language and to subject them to forced assimilation.”
“…[referring to the 2013/14 protests] Nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites executed this coup…”
“Those who opposed the coup were immediately threatened with repression… the residents of Crimea and Sevastopol turned to Russia for help in defending their rights and lives…”
“…As it declared independence…the Supreme Council of Crimea referred to the United Nations Charter, which speaks of the right of nations to self-determination.”
“…I would like to address the people of the United States of America, the people who, since the foundation of their nation and adoption of the Declaration of Independence, have been proud to hold freedom above all else. Isn’t the desire of Crimea’s residents to freely choose their fate such a value?”
“I also want to address the people of Ukraine…we do not want to harm you in any way, or to hurt your national feelings. We have always respected the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state,”
“…we are not simply close neighbours but …we are one people. Kiev is the mother of Russian cities. Ancient Rus [sp] is our common source and we cannot live without each other.”
“We want to be friends with Ukraine and we want Ukraine to be a strong, sovereign and self-sufficient country.”
Western Response to the 2014 annexation of Crimea
At the time, the West limited its response to sanctions against Russia. U.S. President Obama stated:
“...we’ve continued to be deeply concerned by events in Ukraine.”
“…we’re imposing sanctions on more senior officials of the Russian government.”
“…the world is watching with grave concern as Russia has positioned its military in a way that could lead to further incursions into southern and eastern Ukraine.”
Later in 2014, the Ukrainian President, Poroshenko, appeared before Congress requesting weapons. (Poroshenko was a pro-western President who lost the election to Zelensky in 2019.) The White House announced limited aid including radios, vehicles, patrol boats, body armor, helmets and night-vision goggles. But it stopped short of providing weapons or other lethal aid the Ukrainians have been seeking. The administration was concerned that that arming Ukraine would provoke Moscow into escalation and could drag Washington into a proxy war. The Ukrainian President was disappointed stating, “Blankets and night-vision goggles are important, but one cannot win a war with blankets.”
In the next post of this series, we will look at Putin and Russian aggression against Ukraine.