CLASH OF TITANS: Ukraine needs help: Poroshenko's speech in Washington

mercoledì 10 dicembre 2014

Ukraine needs help: Poroshenko's speech in Washington

In a clash of titans there are states who become victims, there are states struck by the expansionist ambitions of other actors. Recently the aggressive foreign policy of Putin's Russia hit Abkhazia, Georgia and, last, Ukraine.
Few months after the fall of the pro-Russian leader Yanukovich, caused by the crowd gathered in the Maidan square in Kyiv who was asking for more links with the EU, Russian troops invaded and annexed the region of Crimea: Ukraine has thus become the land of tensions between Russia and the rest of world, who is observing the moves of Putin with apprehension.

Ukraine is the most recent example of a country "torn" by the power politics of another state.
On September 18, 2014, the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, addressed his words to the joint session of the United States Congress. In his words it is possible to see the concern of a nation at war: he didn’t spend much time in pleasantries and greetings, he got to the heart of the issue, detailing how the Ukrainian situation was collapsing more and more.
Poroshenko stressed how Russia stabbed in the back his nation: Russian Federation had always been the protector and best economic partner of Ukraine, but now is one of the causes of the civil war, the loss of Crimea and the severe economic crisis that is still devastating the country. The ongoing Russian interference in internal affairs and war is unacceptable by Ukrainian people and has to stop, to restore the young Ukrainian democracy, seriously threatened by Russian interests.
The need of a different international support and aid is born from these difficulties. Why the choice of the United States? Because they are the historical counterpart of Russia (and the former USSR), because they can economically afford the support of Kyiv and because the EU, to which Ukraine has repeatedly asked for help, showed uncertainty and weakness in its decisions.
Poroshenko used strong images to make it clear to the American Congress what the Ukrainians and the Crimean Tatars have to endure in this moment: suffering, killings and crimes against civilians (such as the shooting down of a Boeing 777 by unknowns).

His language was strong, resolute but calm, capable to reveal its sense of oppression. His speech ended with a heartfelt appeal, in which he repeated the key words "live free or die!".

He asked the American help, choosing one of the most important values for the US citizens: freedom.

In this link it is possible to find the transcript of the speech:

http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/31252.html

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A brief introduction

The political-diplomatic clashes

Are International politics always headed for growing State power in a background of “all against all” war? We obviously hope that they are not. In fact in theory International politics and diplomacy can be done for peaceful purposes or in order to improve a State condition not at the expenses of another. Nevertheless alliances or a particular geopolitical strategy also are implemented in order to isolate or to take position against a State or a group of States. An historical example about that are the attempts of Germany to isolate France through a system of alliances at the end of XIX century. In addition Germany drew up an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1882. In 1907 the answer to the will of power of Germany by France, UK and Russia was the creation of the Triple Entente that took position against the Triple Alliance.

The economic clashes

As mentioned, the clash between states can also be played on the level of economic relations. One of the leading interpreters of this policy is certainly Germany that has often led the fight on the level of economic relations: the historical periods in which it has been most evident were the '80s with the creation of the European Monetary System (E.M.S.) and in recent years with the rise of the single currency, the Euro. The E.M.S. was a monetary mechanism that forced states parties to align their currency exchange rates. It favored the German power because its currency was strong and penalized its exports in favor of states, such as Italy, which had a weak currency, and if needed, they could also devalue to encourage exports. This situation has generated strong international tensions between state parties and led to a rapid dismantling.

The cultural clashes

In a background of power politics, a state who wants to use its cultural authority has the goal to expand its sphere of influence to impose its hegemony to another civilization, not in a military but cultural way. The cultural clashes are therefore conflicts between states with different cultures and different civilizations.
The Cold War was a perfect example of this policy: the two blocks in opposition represented two very different civilizations, who preached the supremacy over the other. The creation of the Warsaw Pact and the NATO arose from the need to tie closely the states who were more similar to their own idea of civilization.