Dubai International Academy Model United Nations 2019| 12th Annual Session Forum: Security Council Issue: The Situation in Ukraine Student Officer: Waleed Yousif Position: Deputy President Introduction The Ukraine crisis when broken down to basics, is a power struggle between the Eastern and Western factions within Ukraine. The West wants to align with the European Union and the East with Russia as they had close cultural ties. Ukraine had been an important agricultural and gas transport contributor to the Soviet Union's economy between 1920 and 1991. The current crisis erupted in Eastern Ukraine between the Ukrainian armed forces and Russian- backed separatists starting in the Spring of 2014 yet never concluded. In July 2014, when it seemed that Kiev had an opportunity to reclaim all the uncontrolled territories in the East, Russia was quick to respond with acts of aggression after a full invasion of Crimea took place (1st March). An illegitimate referendum supported by Russia was held in Sevastopol, Crimea making it an annexed state followed by Russia arming and funding the LPR and DPR leading to extreme bloodshed of thousands of innocent civilians in the Donbas Region. The war has been going on for 5 years non-stop despite several attempts at ceasefires and solutions, it has been called “the forgotten war” by many. The United States, Canada and the European Union are working together in efforts to heavily sanction and isolate Russia for their actions during the Ukrainian revolution. The Russian federation and its leaders have been the masterminds behind the whole conflict as they are continuing to fuel the war, including the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines MH17. Vladimir Putin is denying all allegations made and is enjoying an unjust upper hand in the situation. All documents made to solve the issue have no legal status making Russia nearly immune to action, more so, legally binding documents can be and have been vetoed. Attempts at solving the war in Eastern Ukraine have come with little to no success. Despite numerous tries and renditions of previous agreements, the war remains active jeopardizing the safety of more than 100,000 civilians in the war zone (grey zone). The so-called Minsk Agreements were negotiated between the two parties to provide a peaceful solution, but the warfare has not come to a holt. Despite this being the case, both Ukrainian and involved international politicians publicly say that the Minsk Research Report | Page 1 of 18 Dubai International Academy Model United Nations 2019| 12th Annual Session Agreements are Ukraine’s only hope left for peace in the East. However, the accords are proving ineffective. Definition of Key Terms Verkhovna Rada Founded on 25th July 1938, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is the unicameral (single legislative body) parliament of Ukraine. It comprises of 450 deputies led by a chairman who’s terms lasts until they resign or are dismissed by the rest of the parliament. Parliamentary meetings are held in the Rada building in Kiev. Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republic The DPR and LPR are the two pro-Russian separatist/ anti-government groups that are funded and affiliated by the Russian Federation. They are currently at war with Ukraine over the Donbas region in the east and are basically fighting the war for Russia. Donbass Region The Donbas region is a large portion of Eastern Ukraine making up 16% of the country’s population. The active war is taking place in Donabs as of 6th April 2014. The region is predominantly Russophone and the two major cities are Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast along with other smaller cities. All Ukrainian Union “Fatherland” All-Ukrainian Union “Fatherland” was officially recognized as a political party in September 1999 and by 2000 and has now become a leading party in the Ukrainian Revolution standing for becoming a part of the EU. Prior to the revolution, it served as a parliamentary faction setup to protest against Pavlo Lazarenko after he left the Hromada party. It is led by Yulia Tymoshenko. Legally Binding Documents Diplomatic documents (e.g. resolutions, memorandums) that do not allow legal action on those who violate the stated terms of the agreement. The OSCE The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. It has been involved in the Minsk-I and II aimed at creating a ceasefire in Ukraine, it is also part of the TCG. Research Report | Page 2 of 18 Dubai International Academy Model United Nations 2019| 12th Annual Session Key Issues Yanukovych EU deal Rejection What most consider was the trigger of the Ukraine crisis, Viktor Yanukovych (the former Ukrainian president) rejected the EU integration pact proposed on 21st November 2013 at the EU summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Yanukovych was under immense pressure by the Russian president Vladimir Putin to decline the EU offer despite being mentioned that the EU leaders attending the summit would not tolerate Russian interference in the bloc’s relations with former Soviet republics. Yanukovych is a member of the Eastern Ukrainian population who consist of pro-Russians and given his growing up in this region of Ukraine, his political shift towards Russia can be explained. He has always been strongly against the pro-Ukrainian political parties ever since his arrival. The deal between the EU and Ukraine was an attempt to aid the countries failing economy in the previous years. Yanukovych described the offer to lend Ukraine 610m Euros from the EU as inadequate and that a minimum of 20bn Euros annually would suffice in order to upgrade its economy to “European standards”. Now Ukraine faced the risk of economic collapse given the deal was rejected, however, it was not an issue as Russia opted to provide Ukraine with a $50bn bailout which was instantly accepted by Yanukovych. This occurrence at the EU summit was displayed publicly and provoked many (Western) Ukrainians to feel that their “country had been sold to the Russians”. The pro-Ukrainians were stirred up and 1000’s gathered at Kiev’s Maidan square after the news had been heard to protest the actions of their president, driven by the belief that Ukraine’s economic future is greatly reliant on a deal with the EU. Removal of Viktor Yanukovych and re-election By the 22nd of February 2014 a snap election was demanded by the Ukrainian parliament where MP’s of the Verkhovna Rada Committee voted to remove Viktor Yanukovych from the post of Ukrainian president, effective immediately. However, Yanukovych deemed the snap election illegal as his party disagreed with the proposition to impeach him and he was not present to debate the notion in the parliament. Although there were no articles of impeachment, he was forced to step down on the grounds that he was incapable of fulfilling his presidential duties. Despite his determined refusal to step down from his post, Viktor Yanukovych was unofficially impeached yet considered so by the public as well as the Ukrainian parliament. The next day an interim government was formed to fill in until the upcoming presidential elections. While the former president was in hiding, crowds of curious Ukrainians streamed into Yanukovych’s compound and were in complete shock to see how he lived in such luxury never seen before in Ukraine while the rest of the country was suffering from severe economic failure. A few months later on the 25th of May 2014 the premature Ukrainian presidential elections were held which was when the pro-European businessman Petro Poreshenko was introduced. Yulia Tymoshenko - the former Prime Minister - was released from prison on the concluding days of Euromaidan Research Report | Page 3 of 18 Dubai International Academy Model United Nations 2019| 12th Annual Session after being jailed by Viktor Yanukovych for what was later found as a false accusation. These two primary representatives were fighting for similar causes since they are both pro-European politicians. The polling stations were flocked as this event was seen as the most crucial election since independence, however, the east region of Ukraine remained silent during the election as millions of citizens did not feel the need to vote. Reasons suspected were due to separatist sympathies, intimidation from pro-Russian citizens or simply a lack of polling stations. Some Ukrainian voters disliked the fact that Poroshenko was being forced upon them as the superior candidate and they believed that the politicians shouldn’t be cowering in the West or in Kiev where it is peaceful but rather in the East where people are being killed. That’s why Oleh Lyashko who is a controversial radical was favoured by some, he was the only presidential candidate that visited the conflicted restive region in the East to partake in operations against separatists. Poroshenko made some remarks after being elected president mentioning he will start a dialogue with Russia, commence negotiation for a new treaty that would protect Ukraine instead of the 1994 Budapest memorandum and finally would make his first trip as president to the region of Donbass in the East. He became a President with lots of promises to fulfil. Euromaidan Ukraine’s largest protests since the orange revolution took place between November 21st 2013 to February 28th 2014. Around 800,000 peaceful protestors and demonstrators were recorded to have gathered at Kiev’s Maidan/ Independence square calling for the resignation of Viktor Yanukovych who had just rejected the EU trade deal in favour of a Russian bailout. Small groups of protestors would clash with riot police as they gathered to storm the presidential office and other government buildings. The situation grew dire. An attempt to surpass the line of armour-clad riot police, some 200 masked protestors commandeered a mechanical digger determined to break up the defences.