Russia Ukraine Conflict Discussed

at NATO Summit

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members are meeting this week to discuss issues related to the international organization. And high on the list is the Russian Ukraine conflict. According to a report by the BBC, NATO spoke out against Russian actions in Ukraine, and warned that additional actions would take place (by NATO) if they did not halt their actions.

It will be interesting to see Russia’s reaction to the NATO summit, and whether NATO will be willing to send in troops to support Ukraine. There are a number of factors here at play: The United States has been highly active in military operations in the past 15 years, and thus, another international involvement could result in domestic frustration against interventionist policies. And with mid-term elections two months away, it will be interesting to see if the Obama administration is willing to carry out such actions. Furthermore, European states in NATO seem hesitant to start a conflict with Russia. Russia supplies a large percentage of energy through natural gas to Europe. There is worry that any conflict could lead to a disruption of this energy. Moreover, mounting a campaign against Russia could upset Russian allies such as China.

And yet, if NATO and the others do not act, this seems to suggest that there will not be a military response to acts of international aggression. Moreover, some may question NATO’s exact role in the international system. Even though Ukraine is not a member, many see NATO’s mission as one of security.

We should keep an eye on what transpires at the NATO summit.