Conflict in Ukraine

The Unwinding of the Post–Cold War Order

Rajan Menon, Eugene B. Rumer, Deborah Chasman

• Publisher: The MIT Press
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9780262327831
• Edition: 0
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: International Relations
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The current conflict in Ukraine has spawned the most serious crisis between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War. It has undermined European security, raised questions about NATO's future, and put an end to one of the most ambitious projects of U.S. foreign policy—building a partnership with Russia. It also threatens to undermine U.S. diplomatic efforts on issues ranging from terrorism to nuclear proliferation. And in the absence of direct negotiations, each side is betting that political and economic pressure will force the other to blink first. Caught in this dangerous game of chicken, the West cannot afford to lose sight of the importance of stable relations with Russia.

This book puts the conflict in historical perspective by examining the evolution of the crisis and assessing its implications both for the Crimean peninsula and for Russia's relations with the West more generally. Experts in the international relations of post-Soviet states, political scientists Rajan Menon and Eugene Rumer clearly show what is at stake in Ukraine, explaining the key economic, political, and security challenges and prospects for overcoming them. They also discuss historical precedents, sketch likely outcomes, and propose policies for safeguarding U.S.-Russia relations in the future. In doing so, they provide a comprehensive and accessible study of a conflict whose consequences will be felt for many years to come.

In response to the current crisis in Ukraine, the MIT Press, The Boston Review and the authors Rajan Menon and Eugene B Rumer, are making this title freely available from our website.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Introduction: Ukraine 2014
• 1: The Making of Ukraine
• 2: Nobody Expected a Crisis
• 3: Impact of the Crisis on Russia
• 4: Europe and the Crisis
• 5: Ukraine's Prospects
• 6: Conclusion
• Acknowledgments
• Notes
• Index
• About the Authors