Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
Since breaking up of the Soviet Union in 1991 cold war with western countries came to an end, but aggressive policy adopted by former KGB officer turned politician President Vladimir Putin of Russian Federation, to expand territories to the former Soviet Union he has been isolated gradually from western countries. His first attempt was to interfere in Georgia in 2008 in spite of siding by the United States with Georgia while Russia recognized break away South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the pretext of saving Russians. Putin also annexed Crimea Peninsula of Ukraine in March of 2014 without firing a shot violating international agreement. These are glaring example indeed in violation of agreements by Russian Federation. In spite of strong protest from western countries President Vladimir Putin did not return Crimea Peninsula to Ukraine which caused him to expel from G-8 industrial group. Relations between United States and Russia further deteriorated during Bush presidency when US recognized breakaway province Kosovo of Serbia on 18 February of 2008 but Kremlin was against recognition of Kosovo.
Instead, President Vladimir Putin has shown his muscle encouraging Russian origin Ukraine to declare autonomous eastern part of Ukraine as separate entity bordering with Russian Federation by assisting them with weapons and dispatching soldiers surreptitiously around the border. As a result, Russia’s membership with NATO stands suspended while some countries around Russian Federation included in NATO instead of protest from Russian Federation. Russia considers expansion of NATO in former Eastern Europe is violation of western commitment. Russia was in fact incensed when Poland, Hungry, the Czech Republic and Baltic states were joined in NATO in mid 1990.
In spite of adverse trend immediate past President Barak Obama had initiated reset relations with Russian Federation following his meeting with former President of Russian Federation Medvedev in July of 2009 in Kremlin but invasion of Ukraine and interference in civil war in Syria has spoiled the goodwill shown by President Barack Obama toward Russian Federation.
As of now President Putin did not suffer serious consequences, but reportedly use of Russian made nerve gas known as Novichok against double agent of Russia Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skirpal in London on 4 March of 2018 has caused serious repercussion around the world.Skirpal was arrested in Russia as a double agent in 2004 but settled in London following spy swap in 2010. Kremlin, however, denied the allegation. As a first step Prime Minister of Great Britain Theresa May has expelled 23 Russian diplomats while United States expelled 60 diplomats plus imposed fresh sanctions on 24 Russian firms and individuals to show solidarity with ally of UK. As of now 150 Russian diplomats plus several intelligence officers of Russia were expelled. Being a member of NATO Turkey has refused to follow footprint of NATO member countries in expelling Russian diplomats. And as many as 23 British diplomats from Russia were expelled as tit for tat tactics.Similarly, 60 diplomats of the United States faced similar tit for tat tactics by Kremlin. Kremlin also closed down US consulate in St. Petersburg in response to US decision of close down Russian consulate at Seattle. It may be noted that Seattle Russian consulate is near to US major nuclear submarine base and Russian intelligence activities have been noted. A state department spokesperson Heather Nauert is reported to have said on 29 March that we reserve the right to respond because Russia should not be acting like a victim and calling Kremlin’s “move regrettable and unwarranted.”
Having seen the action by Donald Trump administration against Russian Federation it is amazing to note that President Trump himself has made cautious reaction by saying, “the Skripal attack was a very sad situation and said,” it looks like Russians were behind it.” It remains a mystery to notice that President Donald Trump never criticized Vladimir Putin in spite of meddling in presidential election of the United States in 2016 while President Trump appears to have congratulated Vladimir Putin, Russian autocrat on his reelections on 18 March,2018 in spite of objection by his national Security adviser. There was popular uprising against Vladimir Putin throughout Russian Federation of his corruption and nepotism before presidential election, apart from jailing opposition leader Alexe Navalny and 15 others in January of this year. Protest rallies in one hundred cities of Russia took place in January. Some journalist and activists are reportedly lost their lives as a result of protests against the administration of Vladimir Putin. Many columnists in the United States reportedly described Putin’s phony election.
Although it is diplomatic successful maneuver by the British administration of Prime Minister Theresa May, but expulsion of so many Russian diplomats by thirty countries Russia is increasingly isolated.The present scenario against Russian Federation does not speak well for global stability and peace.
(Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of Nova chapter of Toastmaster International club of America, writes from Virginia, USA)
