Should USA help Ukraine?
Iurii Kozik
Ron Paul, one of the honorary leaders of the American libertarian movement, recently reacted to the crisis in Crimea. Typically, Paul accused US foreign policy in intervention in affairs of a foreign state, but, surprisingly, he made a step further justifying Vladimir Putin. He thinks that the U.S. should not assist Ukraine.
Putin has “some law on his side” says Ron Paul. He points to a lease Russia held on a naval base in the Crimean city of Sevastopol. However, military units spread around the peninsula are considered to be Russian military.
The problem is the fact that those units are not acknowledged by Russia. Therefore one is not justified in accusing Russia of a military aggression. Formally, that’s true. These forces also claimed to be units of “Self Defence Force”, recently created in Crimea.
However, these forces are armed with weapons and wear uniforms which are spread in Russian army, their vehicles have Russian registration numbers. For the majority of Ukrainians it is evident that these troops are Russian.
Though, it is possible to argue for Paul’s position and to say that weapons, uniform and vehicles are bought by “Self Defence Forces”. Neither Russia, nor the U.S. is prohibited from selling these types of goods.
The heart of the problem is whether we admit that these forces are Russian or not. This case should not be ignored, because if they are Russian soldiers then it means that Russia broke the Budapest Memorandums on Security Assurances singe in 1994 by both US and Russia among others. Where the countries participators claim “to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine”.
Moreover, a fact that Putin asked Russian parliament to approve a military intervention in Crimea on 1st of March shows that there was an intention to violate the Budapest Memorandums by Russia.
But why should US care about it and waste time and money investigating the case?
If it turns out that Russia violated the memorandums indeed, the trouble is not simply that Russia is not a reliable partner. The U.S. will show to be not trustable as well! If the memorandums are violated and U.S. tolerates it, then the U.S. shouldn’t look for the treaties it signs to be fulfilled either.
If the U.S. stays aside when Russia rattles the saber around Ukrainian borders, how can anyone rely on the U.S. then? Regardless one’s views on foreign interventionism, regardless your attitude towards the government, treaties are supposed to be followed. By tolerating Russia to violate the common memorandum, the U.S. is de facto allowing Russia to do it.
Besides an appellation to Budapest Memorandums, I think, there is a moral argument as well.
Human rights and freedoms are at the core of libertarian doctrine. The primary function of a state is to protect these rights and freedoms. But, why is this protection limited by the citizenship of a particular state? Are only Americans’ rights and freedoms should be protected? All human beings around the world are equal in regard of their rights and freedoms. The only difference is that some can protect their freedoms themselves and some cannot.
How can we talk about a fair referendum if you have unknown military units and Russian soldiers around the borders on the East of Ukraine? Indeed, there is Crimea’s right for self-determination, but it cannot be freely implemented.
Have we any moral obligations before those who have no opportunity to implement their rights? Especially, if these rights are restricted by a danger of violence? I believe we do.
That’s why the U.S. is morally obliged to help Ukraine to solve Crimea crisis.
Still, I would not claim that it is justified to force anyone to help the other. The problem with any government’s aid is that it is presupposes to use someone who might not want it. I don’t advocate that. There is a problem, but there was a voice on how to avoid it.
I do not say that U.S. foreign policy is always right. But Crimea’s case is an opportunity to do something moral and just. And the U.S. should be personally interested in it, if they want to keep their reputation of being a reliable partner.
Author Bio: Iurii Kozik holds a B.A. in philosophy from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv; currently doing M.A. in philosophy at University of Bergen, Norway. Kozik is currently writing essays and articles on the current political situation in Ukraine. He is interested in all kinds of libertarian thought, with a concentration on Robert Nozick’s philosophy.
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