Topic: Situation in Ukraine and Eastern Europe
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Nicholas Minor
School: Mattawan High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United Kingdom position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
The Ukrainian crisis has captivated the world over the past couple of years, but to truly understand this territorial and ideological dispute one must recognize the complex relationship between Ukraine and Russia. From 1054, when the Eastern Orthodox Church split from the Roman Catholic Church, to the overreaching czars of the 18th century onward, to the invasion of the Soviet Red Army into the Ukraine in 1922, to Stalins forced famine which killed 10 million Ukrainians in the 1930’s, to the Russian involvement in the 2005 Ukrainian Orange Revolution, Ukraine and Russia are inexorably connected.
The issue in Ukraine has escalated and for the United Nations to simply ignore this conflict would be irresponsible. The United Kingdom can not emphasize enough of the facts of this conflict, which all point to the obvious infringement upon Ukraine’s national sovereignty. Not only is this action egregious, but it’s against United Nations principles. Ukraine is now in chaos as a consequence. The instability of the country has contributed to the shooting down of Malaysian Flight MH17 in 2014 and a huge refugee crisis, as ethnic Ukrainians have been forced to flee the land of their ancestors for fear of the Russian separatists. The United Kingdom does not, and will not support the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.
The solution to this epic crisis is unclear and will be until facts of the issue are cleared up by the global community. The United Kingdom will work tirelessly to insure the safety of the Ukrainian people and supports the immediate withdrawal of the Russian military from the Crimean peninsula. The United Kingdom, along with France, with the backing of the rest of the European Union, will not allow this tyranny to fester in eastern Europe. This region has already been through too much. A diplomatic solution must, and with dedication, will be found.
