The United Kingdom’s Responses To The 2014 Ukraine Crisis And The 2022-2023 Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The 2014 Ukraine crisis originated from the suspension of the political and free trade agreement with the EU by Ukraine’s pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych at the end of 2013.In February 2015,Russia and Ukraine signed Minsk Ⅱ,which stipulated military ceasefire and regional recovery,marking the end of the crisis.On 24 February 2022,with Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing "special military action" in Ukraine,the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out.The action has been going on for more than a year,and remains in a stalemate.The 2014 Ukraine crisis and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict are the two most significant events in the recent European history,and they are also the most serious challenges to European order and security since 1945.This thesis adopts the method of comparative analysis to study Britain’s responses to the 2014 Ukraine crisis and the 2022-2023 Russia-Ukraine conflict.The thesis begins with reviewing the British foreign policy towards Russia since Cameron administration.Subsequently,it discusses the response of the EU and the UK to the 2014 Ukraine crisis,during which the UK was still a member of the EU and its response was largely carried out within the EU common security and diplomatic framework.This is followed by the discussion of pro-Brexit UK’s response to the escalating crisis in Ukraine following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.Lastly,this thesis makes a comparative analysis of the British policies during and after the two crises,discusses the continuity and change of the policy responses;Britain’s rationales behind the phenomenon;Britain’s role on the world stage,and concludes with the discussion of the impact of Britain’s policy responses to the onset and escalation of the Ukraine crisis.A comparative analysis reveals that the UK’s response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict since 2022 has been more comprehensive,more radical and more severe than its response to the 2014 Ukraine crisis.The rationales behind are the UK’s own political and security considerations.By acting as a "vanguard" in the Russia-Ukraine conflict,the UK aims to be a faithful ally of the US,increase its influence in Europe and pursue great power status,all in line with the idea of the "Global Britain".However,the UK’s politically correct and seemingly "noble" stance masks the paucity of its diplomatic strategy.Britain’s current irrational pursuit of great power status and role-positioning will not only increase the ambiguity and vacillation of its foreign policy,but may also lead it to a choice dilemma and an inflated ego.In the future,the UK may encounter even greater crises and disruptions than before.Moreover,in contrast to the Ukraine crisis in 2014,the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the sanctions imposed by the UK and other Western countries have accelerated the evolution of the international order in the post-epidemic era,becoming an important watershed in the transformation of international relations and the governance system,with great impacts on the world landscape.At the same time,the global economy has been hit hard,commodity prices have soared,the industrial chain has been highly affected and it will be more difficult to balance energy supply and demand.The UK itself is also facing a historic cost of living crisis.