Causes of the confrontation between Russia and the West

(Baonghean) - Recently, one of the "hot" topics in newspapers and news programs is the Ukraine crisis and the "war" between Russia and the West. As the largest country in the world, 3/4 of Russia's territory is located in Asia, but 3/4 of its population lives in Europe. In addition to historical and cultural links, Europe also accounts for more than half of Russia's trade. However, it seems that there are always traditional conflicts between Russia and the West that can flare up at any time.

The relationship between the two sides has been deteriorating in recent years, especially in the current Ukraine issue, which can be said to be the most tense since the Cold War. This confrontation is a remnant of the Cold War, also a remnant of the Soviet-American confrontation, and a conflict of interests when Russia revived its role as a world power with leaders who have a hardline stance towards the West.

Russia's potential shipbuilding sector has also begun to be sanctioned by the US. Photo: Internet

1. Remnants of the Soviet-American confrontation

It can be said that the conflicts between Russia and the US with the West are "ghosts" of the past, remnants of the confrontation between the Soviet Union and the US and the West, remnants of the confrontation between socialism and capitalism during the Cold War.

The confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States, between socialism and capitalism did not only begin after World War II, but it arose right after the Russian October Revolution (1917) with the birth of Soviet Russia. At that time, Western capitalist countries concentrated their forces and sought every way to "strangle" the young Soviet Russia.

During World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States, Great Britain, and France allied together to fight against fascism, but the contradictions between the Soviet Union and these capitalist countries still existed. When the war ended and fascism was destroyed, the contradictions between the Soviet Union and the United States, Great Britain, and France arose again. These countries changed from an allied relationship to a confrontational relationship. In which, the Soviet Union assumed the role of "the stronghold of socialism", while the United States "undertook the mission of leading the free world" to help the peoples of the world fight against the "threat" of communism and the "expansion" of Russia. The United States launched the Cold War against the Soviet Union and the socialist countries.

To implement their “containment policy”, the US and Western countries established military blocs and military bases all over the world, forming a siege and isolation of the Soviet Union and socialist countries. The birth of the two largest military blocs in the world (NATO and Warsaw) led by the US and the Soviet Union opposed each other, both in an arms race, equipped with modern weapons, especially nuclear weapons to strengthen their bloc.

After 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Russia was no longer a stronghold of communism, but it cannot be denied that today's Russia is the embodiment of a powerful Soviet Union in the past, replacing the Soviet Union's role in the United Nations.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact – NATO’s counterweight – also dissolved, but NATO not only still exists but also increasingly expands to the East, threatening Russia’s security. Of course, to protect its core interests, Russia cannot sit idly by and watch the West do whatever it wants. Therefore, just like the previous division of Germany, the current Ukraine crisis shows that the struggle for influence will become increasingly fierce and recreate a version of the East-West confrontation, which was the nature of the Cold War.

2. The revival of Russian power as a counterweight to the West

Under Putin, Russia is the embodiment of a leading power, the center of Eurasian security, increasingly asserting itself as a pole in counterbalance to the West. Meanwhile, the revival of a "difficult" power like Russia is something the US and the EU do not want.

While the US tries to maintain a unipolar world order led by the US, Russia strongly opposes this unipolar order and advocates a multipolar world, in which Russia's role in the international arena is promoted. Many decisions of the US and the West are met with opposition from Russia as well as its veto at the United Nations Security Council.

While the US has continuously proposed plans to cut its defense budget and its military presence around the world, Russia has continuously increased its military spending and combat capabilities. Russia's military strength and strategy have undergone significant changes, in a direction that is unfavorable to the West, especially in the use of nuclear weapons as a basic means of preventing war. The technical equipment and combat level of the Russian army are increasing. Looking from the war in Chesinia in the 90s, the war in Georgia in 2008 to the recent campaign to recover Crimea, it is clear that the Russian army's growing capabilities are evident.

The US and the EU, on the one hand, need to cooperate with Russia for their economic development, but on the other hand, always seek to contain Russia, seriously affecting Russia's security and interests in the world. Therefore, isolating Russia, weakening Russia, even causing a crisis is always the wish of these countries.

In an article in Kommersant, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov commented that it seems that Western partners and the US are pursuing a reflexive response based on the simple principle of “us against them” and not really thinking about the long-term impact of what they are doing.

In fact, the US and the West have continuously made moves to threaten and attack Russia's allies such as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Syria, etc., to pull the CIS countries away from Russia's influence, aiming to isolate Russia. When looking at the above strategies of the West in Ukraine, Russian leaders cannot help but worry that their country could become the next "victim". Of course, the West's actions have met with opposition and countermeasures from Russia as "corresponding reactions" to the West's aggressive moves. That is also the cause of the current crisis in Ukraine.

Thus, the growth of a Russia that increasingly wants to assert itself, along with the expansion of NATO and the US - EU wanting to maintain the number one position, is one of the causes of the Russia - West confrontation.

3. Putin - the tough leader

Another reason for the confrontation between countries is the confrontation between leaders. This is actually an extension of the above analysis, but in many cases it plays an important role; for example, in Russia, if it were not Putin but another leader who was more gentle and “docile”, the situation might have been different. Of course, then Russia would have had to sacrifice many core interests.

However, Russia is not like that in reality. In the current situation, even if it is not Putin, no Russian leader would tolerate a military alliance considered Moscow's enemy moving into Ukraine. Nor would any Russian leader stand idly by while the West is plotting to install a government that aims to bring Ukraine into the West's camp. While Putin is a tough leader, especially in relations with the West.

In early 2000, shortly after taking office as president, in his speech entitled “Russia at the turn of the millennium”, Putin made clear his stance that Russia should not be expected to follow the American or European model and that “Russia in the past and in the future will also be a great country”. In Putin’s eyes, he realized that it would be a shame not to restore Russia to its status as a majestic power. He recognized the true face of the West when they used money as bait to force Russia to obey their control. He soon thought of restoring Russia’s powerful status. Therefore, although Russia has many benefits with the West, especially with the EU (bilateral trade turnover in 2013 reached 336 billion Euros), Putin is not afraid of confrontation and is always mentally prepared for a relationship that is “not good rice, not sweet soup”. That tough stance has dashed Western hopes for a “friendly” and “docile” Russia.

On the contrary, the West also does not like Putin. For them, Putin is like a thorn in their eyes, but it is not easy to remove him as they have done in Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Ukraine... After being pushed into a passive position by Putin in the Syria issue, and having their reputation damaged by the E. Snowden scandal, the US and the West are trying to use economic sanctions to make Russia fall into crisis and "self-evolve". However, Putin's "tit for tat" moves are also causing the West to be in turmoil and discord.

In short, the confrontation between Russia and the West is a consequence of the Soviet-American confrontation from the Cold War, combined with the core interests of the great powers and the hard-line views of Russian leaders. Among the causes analyzed above, one basic cause can be summarized, which is the conflicts of interests. Of course, for Russia, interests do not stop at the economic aspect, but the most important is national pride and culture. That is what motivates President Putin to confront the West, regardless of economic losses.

Vu Van Dat

(Researcher, Institute of Culture,Hanoi University of Culture)