Abstract
The Process Affecting the Russian Federation's Occupation of the Crimea and the Ukrainian Geopolitics
Ukraine is a very important state in the Russian Federation's perception of security in terms of its geography. This position of Ukraine also influences the shaping of Russian foreign policy. The geopolitical position of Ukraine has the potential to create regional effects when considering the regional balances. At the beginning of this strategic position, the majority of natural gas pipelines that provide energy transportation to Europe pass through this country, it has a very long border to the Black Sea, and it is above important trade routes. It is also in a transition zone between east and west. For these reasons, the Russian Federation thinks that Ukraine will enter the European Union and NATO or improve its relations with the EU, creating a security weakness for itself. Because Ukraine's membership to the European Union means that the European Union has a border with Russia. Thus, there will be no buffer zone in between. Therefore, Russia tries to maintain its dominance in Ukraine. The EU and the USA continue to expand eastward. Therefore, any interference of Russia to Ukraine is considered as an intervention made directly to the European Union. The fact that Ukraine has a vital position in Russia's perception of security makes the conflicts in the region permanent. Therefore, Russia acts by considering these sensitive balances in its foreign policy.
Keywords
Russian Federation, Ukraine, Security, Geopolitics.