Why Do Russia and Europe Clash on Crimea? A Constructivist Interpretation Focusing on Different Conceptions of Sovereignty

Abstract

This thesis explores the reasons why Russia and Europe clash on Crimea focusing on different conceptions of sovereignty in Russia and Europe. In an effort to provide a Constructivist interpretation of the clash in the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, this study investigates the concepts of sovereignty adopted in Russia and Europe as a foundation for their clash. In addressing the main research question Why do Russia and Europe clash on Crimea? the main thesis laid out is that Russia and Europes conceptions of sovereignty significantly differ, and this difference serves as a critical impetus for the clash between Russia and Europe on Crimea. The first part of the analysis demonstrates the different conceptions of sovereignty in Russia and Europe, while the second part provides the reasons for such discrepancy. It is revealed that the conceptions of sovereignty in Russia and Europe diverge from one another at the core due to their unique national identities. Whereas the Russian concept, driven by its hegemonic identity, distinguishes legal (de jure) and real (de facto) sovereignties, the European construct of sovereignty conception, driven by the shared sense of establishing peace and equality among states, is a unitary and undiscriminating conception. The main objective of this research was to provide a Constructivist interpretation for the clash between Russia and Europe on Crimea. This study shows that the different conceptions of sovereignty – influenced by states national identity – serve as a reason behind the clash, which substantiates that acknowledging national identity and discovering states understanding of foreign policy concepts could serve a useful purpose in understanding international relations.