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Integration of Ukraine Into Nato and Its Geopolitical Implications

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Integration of Ukraine Into Nato and Its Geopolitical Implications INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE INTO NATO AND ITS GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY SEVSU ÖNDER IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EURASIAN STUDIES MAY 2019 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Tülin Gençöz Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Prof. Dr. Pınar Köksal . Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Işık Kuşçu Bonnenfant Supervisor Examining Committee Members Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuba Ünlü Bilgiç (METU, IR) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Işık Kuşçu Bonnenfant (METU, IR) Assist. Prof. Dr. Yuliya Biletska (Karabük Uni., IR) PLAGIARISM I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last Name : Sevsu ÖNDER Signature : iii ABSTRACT INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE INTO NATO AND ITS GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS ÖNDER, Sevsu M.S., Department of Eurasian Studies Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Işık Kuşçu Bonnenfant May 2019, 165 pages This thesis aims to analyze NATO integration process of Ukraine with its geopolitical causes and consequences in the context of annexation of Crimea and military conflict in Eastern Ukraine. This thesis claims that Ukraine’s NATO integration is driven by several geopolitical concerns of actors involved in the process and has serious geopolitical consequences for the parties. Accordingly, Ukraine’s NATO integration is a product of the US geopolitical interests identified over Eurasian region in order to take the lead in the global geopolitical struggle. However, annexation of Crimea and military conflict in Eastern Ukraine are the direct consequences of Ukraine’s NATO integration and represents the contradiction of Ukraine’s integration goal with Russian geopolitical interests. From the perspective of Ukraine, NATO integration is simply a civilizational choice between Russia and the West to leave Russian geopolitical axis. This thesis aims to bring a multi-faceted approach covering geopolitical priorities of Ukraine, Russia and US-led NATO. In order to reflect this versatility study focuses on the NATO’s post-Cold War geopolitics, Ukraine’s NATO integration process and internal and external geopolitical dynamics affecting this process, and Russia’s influence on the integration process as a result of its geopolitical interests over Eurasia. This thesis uses documentary research method involving review of the official documents. Thus, it is aimed to reflect how the geopolitics as a legitimization practice is shaped by the key actors in the domestic and foreign policy environment. Keywords: Geopolitics, Ukraine, NATO integration, Russia, annexation of Crimea iv ÖZ UKRAYNA’NIN NATO ENTEGRASYONU VE JEOPOLİTİK ÇIKARIMLAR ÖNDER, Sevsu Yüksek Lisans, Avrasya Çalışmaları Tez Yöneticisi: Doç. Dr. Işık Kuşçu Bonnenfant May 2019, 165 sayfa Bu tez Ukrayna’nın NATO entegrasyon sürecini ve bunun jeopolitik neden ve sonuçlarını Kırım’ın ilhakı ve Doğu Ukrayna’daki askeri çatışmalar bağlamında analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu tez Ukrayna’nın NATO entegrasyon sürecinin entegrasyon sürecine dahil olan aktörlerin birtakım jeopolitik kaygıları tarafından yönlendirildiğini ve bunun taraflar için ciddi jeopolitik sonuçlar doğurduğunu iddia eder. Buna göre, Ukrayna’nın NATO entegrasyonu ABD’nin küresel jeopolitik mücadelede liderliği ele geçirmek amacıyla Avrasya bölgesi üzerinde tanımladığı jeopolitik çıkarlarının bir sonucudur. Ancak, Ukrayna’nın NATO entegrasyonunun doğrudan sonucu olarak Kırım’ın ilhakı ve Doğu Ukrayna’daki askeri çatışmalar entegrasyon hedefinin Rus jeopolitik çıkarları ile çatışmasını temsil eder. Ukrayna açısından bakıldığında ise NATO entegrasyonu basitçe Ukrayna’nın Rus jeopolitik ekseninden ayrılmak amacıyla Rusya ve Batı arasında yaptığı “medeniyetsel” bir tercihtir. Bu tez Ukrayna, Rusya ve ABD destekli NATO’nun jeopolitik önceliklerini yansıtan çok yönlü bir yaklaşım sunmaktadır. Bu çok yönlülüğü yansıtabilmek adına bu çalışmada NATO’nun Soğuk Savaş sonrası jeopolitiği, Ukrayna’nın NATO entegrasyon süreci ve bu süreci etkileyen iç dış jeopolitik dinamiklerle, Rusya’nın Avrasya üzerindeki jeopolitik çıkarları sonucu entegrasyon sürecine etkisine odaklanılmıştır. Bu tez resmî belgelerin gözden geçirilmesini kapsayan doküman incelemesi metodunu kullanır. Bu sayede aynı zamanda bir meşrulaştırma pratiği olarak jeopolitiğin temel aktörlerin iç ve dış politika ortamlarında nasıl şekillendirildiği de yansıtılmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Jeopolitik, Ukrayna, NATO entegrasyonu, Rusya, Kırım’ın ilhakı v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my supervisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Işık Kuşçu Bonnenfant for her infinite kindness, encouragement and guidance. Without her contribution and patience, it would not be possible for me to complete this study. I would also like to express my thanks to my examining committee members Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuba Ünlü Bilgiç and Assist. Prof. Dr. Yuliya Biletska for their participation and constructive comments. I would like to thank my close friends Begüm Paçacıoğlu and Bilgesu Çelebi for their excellent sense of humor which provided me moral support during the preparation process of this thesis. I am also grateful to Ahmet Körpınar his support and friendship. The greatest thanks belong to my perfect family who unconditionally supports me in every decision I have made, who never lost their faith in me and never gave up believing me. Without the endearment and guidance of my mother Sevgi Önder, my father Suat Önder, my brother Mert Önder and without the encourgement of my beloved uncle Sezai Yamankurt, grandmother Fatma Yamankurt and grandfather Muammer Yamankurt all the achievements would be insignificant and incomplete. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM .................................................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ iv ÖZ ........................................................................................................................................ v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Introducing the Study ........................................................................................... 1 1.2. Methodology ......................................................................................................... 4 1.3. Organization of the Thesis .................................................................................... 5 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................... 6 2.1. Definition and Components of Geopolitics .......................................................... 7 2.2. Historical Context of Geopolitics and Eurasia in the Geopolitical Literature .... 14 3. THE GEOPOLITICS OF NATO ENLARGEMENT ................................................ 21 3.1. Geopolitics of the Post-Cold War NATO Enlargement ..................................... 22 3.2. Factors and Instruments Contributing to the NATO’s Post-Cold War Enlargement ............................................................................................................... 25 3.2.1. The Transformation of NATO ..................................................................... 25 3.2.2. Dissolution of the Warsaw Treaty Organization ......................................... 26 3.2.3. The New Strategic Concept and North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) ................................................................................................................. 27 3.2.4. Partnership for Peace (PfP) .......................................................................... 28 3.2.5. The Study on Enlargement .......................................................................... 32 3.2.6. Enlargement within the Framework of Partnership for Peace ..................... 33 vii 3.2.7. Membership Action Plan (MAP) ............................................................... 34 3.2.8. Enlargement within the Frame of Membership Action Plan ....................... 35 4. UKRAINE’S INTEGRATION INTO NATO ........................................................... 38 4.1. The Geopolitical Reasons for Ukraine’s NATO Integration .............................. 39 4.1.1 The US Point of View .................................................................................. 39 4.1.2. The Ukrainian Point of View ...................................................................... 43 4.2. NATO Integration of Ukraine and Its Impact in the Domestic and Foreign Policy Context Until the Annexation of Crimea .................................................................. 48 4.2.1. Inclusion
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