The document summarizes the root causes, key events, and international response to the ongoing Ukraine crisis. It discusses how Russian opposition to Ukraine strengthening ties with the EU led to protests in Ukraine and the ousting of the Ukrainian president in 2014. This prompted Russia to invade and annex Crimea on the basis of protecting Russian citizens. The document outlines international sanctions imposed on Russia and their economic impacts. It also summarizes peace talks in Minsk and the agreements reached to establish ceasefires and decentralize power in eastern Ukraine.

1. Royal University of Phnom Penh
Department of International Studies
Topic : Ukraine Crisis
Subject: Model United Nations
Lecturer: Mey Punlork
Presenters:
Sao Phal Niseiy
Lim Chunhai

2. Content
• Root causes of Ukraine crisis
• Crimea: why it is important ?
• International community and its response to
the crisis.
• Ukraine Peace Talks
• NATO and military buildup

3. Questions
• What are the root causes of Ukraine crisis?
• Did Russia really invade Ukraine?
• Is annexation of Crimea by Russia illegal based
on international laws ?
• Why U.S deeply involve in Ukraine crisis?
• Has peace agreement been entirely practiced?
• Will Ukraine crisis be ended soon?

5. Root causes of Ukraine Crisis
• In November 2013, Russian-backed government of president Viktor
Yanukovych abandoned the plans to sign an association agreement
with the EU.
 Recalled in May 2002 Ukrainian Leader announces decision to
launch formal bid to join Nato
• Thousands of Ukrainians gathered in Kiev protesting against
government’s decision, accusing the government of allegedly being
corrupt and unaccountable.
• The protests escalation continued for three months and it was
known as “Maidan Movement”
• In January 2014, Yanukovych ordered military forces to violently
crackdown on protestors, leaving nearly a hundred people dead and
hundreds arrested.

7. • In February 2014, Protest leaders, the political
opposition and Yanukovich agreed to form a
new government and hold early elections.
• Yanukovich fled Kiev after protesters take
control of the capital.
• Feb 22: Ukraine politicians vote to remove
Yanukovich.
• May 25 is set for fresh presidential elections.

8. Russian invasion and Crimea
annexation
• Uprising emerged in eastern part of Ukraine.
• Autonomous Republic of Crimea’s people and armed men who
support Kremlin government occupied the public building
• Russian president publicly claimed his gov’t will use all possible
means to protect Russian citizens in Crimea. In March 01, Russian
upper house of the parliament approves a request by Putin to use
military power in Ukraine.
• Hundreds of Russian troops were sent to Crimea to overtake the
territory.
• In March 6, Crimea's parliament votes unanimously in favour of
joining Russia.
• People in Crimea decided to hold the referendum to declare
independence from Ukraine in March 16.

9. • UNSC members considered referendum in Crimea as
illegal and voted in supportof a draft resolution
condemning an upcoming referendum on the future
of Crimea. Russia vetoed and China abstained.
• In Mach 16, the referendum was held and the poll
showed that 97% of people voted on joining with
Russian Federation.
• President Putin signed the treaty on annexing Crimea
as a part of Russia.
• UN General Assembly approves a resolution
declaring Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea
illegal.

10. - Ukraine's ousted president admitted he was "wrong" in
inviting Russian troops into Crimea and promised to try
to persuade Moscow to return the peninsula in April 02.
Eastern part of Ukraine called for independence ?
-In April 2014, pro-Russian activists occupied the
government buildings in the eastern cities of
Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv, calling for a referendum on
independence.
-Civil war and the Russian backed rebel forces have been
fighting with government forces since then killing
thousands of people and leaving thousands of them
displaced.

11. • Fresh presidential election was organized in May 25, paving
the way for Chocolate man Petro Poroshenko to come to
power as a president.
• But new president and government can help put an end to
the crisis?

12. Why Crimea is so important ?
• Historical background of Crimea
 Crimea became part of the Russian Empire in 1783.
 It was a gift to Ukraine by Nikita Kruchev to mark "Gifted the
300th anniversary of Ukraine's merger with the Russian empire.
• Russian population in Crimea vs Tata muslims

13. • Vitally strategic peninsular for military purpose ( warm water port)
 Back in 1997, Friendship treaty signed with Russia. Ukraine
and Russia also reach agreement on the Black Sea fleet.
 Ukrainian Parliament in 2010 ratifies an agreement to extend
Russia's lease on the Black Sea fleet base at Sevastopol in
Crimea for 25 years, in return for cheaper gas imports.

14. Sanctions against Russia
• The major goal of Western sanctions is to change Russia’s policy
towards Ukraine, namely to stop Russia from supporting and
sending arms and fighters to Ukraine.
• There are 4 waves of sanctions
- First Wave:
 March 2014: some EU countries, Canada led by the U.S
imposed sanctions targeted individuals and organizations
close to the Russian leadership. Those sanctions includes:
 visa bans from entering EU countries , the US
 freeze their assets
 23 senior government officials by the US
 25 government officials by EU

15. • Second Wave:
– April 2014: started when the situation in southeast Ukraine
significantly escalated and evolved into a full-scale civil war.
– The sanctions was: sweeping economy-wide measures that have
frozen credit flows and high-tech goods exports to Russia
• Third Wave:
– July 2014: caused by the downing of Malaysian Boeing flight
MH17, over southeast Ukraine.
– Western countries started to accuse Russia of supplying rebels
with ammunition that allegedly could shoot down the plane.

16. – The sanctions were aimed against the sectors of the Russian
economy – energy, finance, high-tech – with the purpose of
slowing down Russian economic growth and worsening
the country’s investment climate.
– Those sanctions include: bans on technologies of dual-use and
arms exports on 4 big Russian Banks.
• Fourth Wave:
– September 2014: targeting
• 4 new banks – Sberbank (the biggest Russian bank), Bank of Moscow,
VTB and Russian Agricultural Bank
• energy companies
• high-tech companies
• Oil and defense companies
• Politicians in Russia

17. Impacts on Russian economy
• Putin claimed that the sanctions would be “an incentive for a more
efficient and faster movement” towards his reform goals, including
freeing Russia from dependence on foreign technology.
• Some also say that “The sanctions could have a positive effect by
pushing the Russian economy to modernize itself by reducing its
reliance on oil and gas resources.”
• Western sanctions have had a mixed impact on Russian economy,
hitting the financial and energy sectors the hardest.
• One view that those sanctions could hurt both Russia and EU
(Because Russia is the third-largest trading partner of the EU and the EU is the
leading trading partner of Russia)

18. • The medium-term effect of Western sanctions does not
pose a serious threat to the Russian economy, however, in
the long-run, prolonging the ‘sanctions war’ will threaten
the Russian economy.
• An opposing view argues that sanctions will hit the Russian
economy hard by having an inflationary impact on prices
and leading to ruble depreciation. This view also argues
that Western sanctions have tipped the Russian economy
into recession.
• Financial sector: The Ukrainian crisis has already affected
the Russian economy.

19. • Energy sector: The sanctions ban technologies transfer to Russian
oil and gas companies, which will have consequences for the
Russian energy sector in the medium-term, especially given the
increasing race for the resources in the Arctic shale. However, given
European dependence on Russian energy resources, the ban doesn’t
restrict supply of Russian oil and gas to Europe.
• The Russian ruble has declined against the US dollar. The Russian
currency has now fallen as much as 40 percent since January 2014.
• The fall in the value of Russian ruble bring Russia to a recession,
inflation and high interest rates.

20. • Investors have started to revise Russia’s investment
prospects. IMF analyzed that Russia’s GDP is expected
to grow by only 0.5% in 2015.
• On October 2, 2014 the head of the RCB, Elvira
Nabiullina, claimed that the capital flow out of Russia
might exceed $90 billion.
• However, some big economic sectors are generally
unaffected by the sanctions, such as Russian gas
exports and nuclear energy, as they are of a strategic
character for Russian partners in the West.

22. Ukraine Peace Talk and Mink agreement
 UNSC and UNGA mainly concerned about:
– Humanitarian in Eastern Ukraine.
– Diplomatic relation not only Russia and Ukraine but also amongst the
EU.
– Peace and security on state sovereignty.
– UNGA resolution 68/262 (March 27, 2014)
• 100 UN member states support not to recognize any change in the status of
Crimean.
• “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
• Introduce by Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.

23. Minsk Agreement
• Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE agreed on a protocol
in Minsk, Belarus on 5 September 2014, however;
this collapsed shortly in January 2015.
• At a summit in Mink on 11 February 2015, the leaders
of Ukraine, Russia , France, and Germany agreed to a package
of measures known as Minsk II to end war in Donbas.
 But Minsk agreement II has been comprehensively
implemented by both sides?

24. Minsk Protocol
1. To ensure an immediate bilateral ceasefire.
2. To ensure the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire by the OSCE .
3. Decentralization of power, including through the adoption of the Ukrainian law "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular
Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts".
4. To ensure the permanent monitoring of the Ukrainian-Russian border and verification by the OSCE with the creation of security zones in the border
regions of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
5. Immediate release of all hostages and illegally detained persons.
6. A law preventing the prosecution and punishment of persons in connection with the events that have taken place in some areas of Donetsk and
Luhansk Oblasts.
7. To continue the inclusive national dialogue.
8. To take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Donbass.
9. To ensure early local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian law "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of
Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts".
10. To withdraw illegal armed groups and military equipment as well as fighters and mercenaries from Ukraine.
11. To adopt a program of economic recovery and reconstruction for the Donbass region.
12. To provide personal security for participants in the consultations

25. Follow-up memorandum
1. To pull heavy weaponry 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) back on each side of the line of contact,
creating a 30-kilometre (19 mi) buffer zone
2. To ban offensive operations
3. To ban flights by combat aircraft over the security zone
4. To withdraw all foreign mercenaries from the conflict zone
5. To set up an OSCE mission to monitor implementation of Minsk Protocol

26. Mink II
1.http://www.osce.org/ru/cio/140221?download=true
2.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11408266/Mi
nsk-agreement-on-Ukraine-crisis-text-in-full.html
The links above accesses to Minsk agreement and can download.

27. NATO

28. • What, When, Who and Why NATO?
• Why NATO so cautious with Ukraine crisis?
• NATO military exercise

29. What, When, and Why ?
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
an intergovernmental military alliance
• Estalished: on 4 April 1949
• Purpose: To respond to any assertiveness
from USSR during Cold War period through
“Collective Defend”.

30. • 12 founding members: Belgium, Canada,
Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK & US.
• Presently, NATO
comprise of 28
memberships
Who ?

31. Why NATO so cautious with
Ukraine Crisis?
Black Sea

32. September 2014

33. NATO Military Exercise
2014

34. • November 2014: NATO have
conducted many military exercise
which involving 25,000-40,000
soldiers in the western country
alone, NATO General Hans-Lothar
said. (Global research)
• September in the Baltic States:
Iron word 2014

35. NATO Military Exercise
2015

36. NATO Military Exercise 2015
• March 2015: NATO military exercise in
Bulgaria => joint by helicopter, tank and armor
persennel (NBC News)
• April 21/22 NATO military exercise in Baltic on
Air-space
• April 2015: NATO military in Romania
• March 2015: US start to deploy 3,000 military
personnel to Baltic countries ( Latvia,
Lithuania & Estonia). (Rueter)

37. Thank You