The Russia-Ukrainian War had capture people’s attention worldwide and had gained momentum

since this was a hot topic in the news. This war was not new to the contemporary world; hence this war
seems to be a continuation of the history between the two countries. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses
the greatest threat to European’s peace and security since the end of the Cold War. However, a war
between Russia and Ukraine arose in 2014, after a new president was elected by the people of Ukraine.
As a result, this was not welcomed by Russia. The war has been raging on and off since then.

Moreover, Russia officially declares war on Ukraine on February 24, it has been filled with new
attacks and increased aggression between these countries. The main cause of the current conflict
between Russian and Ukraine is NATO. Tracing back how NATO was established, this organization was
formed after World War II. This was created by America with the support of twelve countries with a goal
to remain united against the Soviet Union as well as to halt the Soviet Union’s expansion. Ukraine is a
former Soviet republic and shares a border with Russia and the European Union. However, Ukraine
aspires to become a member of NATO. More so, Ukraine is not a member of the intergovernmental
military alliance with the means of a “partner country.” A country can join NATO in the future if a
country is not “an alliance” but “a partner.” In the year 2008, the NATO leaders then promised Ukraine
that one day it would join the alliance. However, Russia is against and wants Ukraine to never join the
alliance. Because of that, Russia wages war on Ukraine. Explosions and attacks began at 5 AM in major
cities across Ukraine. President Putin warns other countries not to interfere because the consequences
will be unprecedented. By the beginning of March 2022, more countries had expressed their support for
Ukraine and their willingness to assist the country and its people.

Furthermore, concerned about further escalation, NATO allies have imposed sanctions on
Russia's economy, reinforced troops along the alliance's eastern flank, and repeatedly warned that an
attack on one NATO member is an attack on all. Although, Ukraine is not a member of NATO. Russia was
called by NATO to withdraw troops from Ukraine and stop the attack. America on the other hand will
not sent U.S. troops but troops are being sent to NATO countries nearby. If the conflict spreads beyond
Ukraine and affects NATO members, the organization may be forced to invoke its mutual self-defense
clause. According to Article 5, if Russia’s invasion spreads into nearby NATO countries, the United States
will be ready to aid and defend its allies. In relation to this, the leading NATO countries, such as the
United States, are concerned that doing so would put them in direct conflict with Russia, potentially
resulting in a wider war. Thus, they have also refused to operate a no-fly zone over the country for the
same reason.

In this case, Russia's brutal war in Ukraine tends to put Western policymakers in a tough spot.
The threat of catastrophic economic sanctions was unsuccessful in deterring Russian aggression. NATO
requires military options that will assist Ukraine's conventional forces in avoiding defeat. Fortunately,
there are alternative measures that NATO can aid Ukraine: (1) Train Ukrainian volunteers to use man-
portable systems; (2) Facilitate civilian cyber activities; (3) Provide unmanned combat air vehicles; (4)
Provide replacement fighter aircraft; (5) Recruit volunteer pilots and ground crews; and (6) Support the
continuity of government. NATO member states and partners should take these measures into account
when deciding how to assist Ukraine. This is because the provided measures are unlikely to tip the
military balance in Ukraine’s favor while also prolonging the conflict and thus the suffering of Ukraine.

Therefore, this war is expected not to end in the fastest way around and it is unclear how this
war will end. Greater chances of high risk and destruction would possibly happen if Ukraine will fully join
NATO. The fact that neither of the countries involved can attack the other without risking being attacked
back. So far, number of deaths are increasing, properties were destroyed and damaged and the
relationship between the two countries worsened. This conflict affects humanity and causes to dwell
into becoming an enemy rather than being an ally. The roots of superiority and power is still dominant
even in the contemporary world and as being observed in this Russia-Ukrainian War. No one could tell
how things will go far but for sure Russia-Ukrainian War will be continuous if one does not hold back.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-russia-ukraine-dispute-2022-reasons-imran-khan

https://www.fasttrackvisa.com/blog/a-summary-of-the-russia-ukraine-conflict-2022/

https://thewell.unc.edu/2022/01/22/the-russia-ukraine-conflict/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/15/explainer-nato-and-the-ukraine-russia-crisis
 Germany was divided into four occupation zones by the United States, the United Kingdom,
France and the Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War in 1945. On the other hand, Berlin, the
German Capital, was divided among the four powers despite being located within the Soviet zone.
However, Berlin was divided not only by ideology but also by a concrete wall. This concrete wall snaked
through the city, serving as an ugly Cold War symbol. Die anti-Faschistischer Schutzwall, or the 'Anti-
fascist Protective Wall,' was the official name given by the East German government to this new
structure. Thus, this concrete wall is known as the Berlin Wall. It was a series of walls, fences, and
barriers that separated East German-Soviet Berlin from Western-occupied sections. This was built during
the Berlin Crisis in 1961 and stood as a symbol of Cold War division for nearly three decades. The grim
and unsightly Berlin Wall grew and scope throughout the rest of 1961, eventually consisting of a series
of concrete walls up to 15 feet high. Attempting to cross the Berlin Wall, with its fortifications, guards,
and booby traps, proved fatal for many civilians. Rumors circulated in 1961 that measures would be
implemented to strengthen the border and prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West.

Moreover, the construction of the Berlin Wall made international headlines. Hence, this caused
the United States and West Germany immediately went on high alert. This is because in case the events
in Berlin were a prelude to a Soviet-backed invasion of the city’s western zones. This push through U.S.
President John F. Kennedy to order American reinforcements into West Berlin. More than 1,500 soldiers
were transported into the city and ordered contingent of U.S. cargo planes to be sent to West Germany.
Although, some experts must have seen the Berlin Wall as an act of aggression against Berliners in both
zones and called for a strong action or measures.

East Germany eventually built a 27-mile-long concrete wall through the city. The Wall was two
parallel walls separated by a "death strip" that included guard dog runs, landmines, barbed wire, and
other obstacles designed to prevent escape. Inevitably, crossing the border between the two Berlins
became even more difficult. Prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall, it was relatively easy for West
Berliners to visit relatives in the east. So, what they did is to have a day pass issued by East German
authorities. Of course, there were numerous illegal attempts to cross the wall. There are some East
Germans attempted to scale the wall by climbing, scampering, or abseiling, but the fortifications, barbed
wire, and armed Grepo (border police) made this a dangerous activity. Unfortunately, various number of
people died attempting to cross the Berlin Wall from East to West Berlin between 1961 and 1988.

By 1989, communism in Eastern Europe was crumbling and many East Germans had had
enough. They organized a series of massive protests calling for democracy. They wanted the Berlin Wall
gone. On November 9th, that year, a spokesman for East Germany's Communist Party announced that
people in East Berlin could freely cross into West Berlin as of midnight. The Berlin Wall was torn down
after the East German government allowed its people to cross the border into West Berlin freely. The
Berlin Wall had been breached and would not be closed again. Therefore, the fall of the Berlin Wall
symbolically marked the end of the Iron Curtain that divided Europe. At the same time, it’s the end of
the Cold War. The fall of the Berlin Wall was considered as the first step towards German reunification.
Consequently, the political, economical and social impact of the fall of the Berlin wall had further
weakened the unstable East German government.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/sanctions/restrictive-measures-against-russia-over-
ukraine/sanctions-against-russia-explained/

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/eu-sanctions-against-russia-over-ukraine/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/european-union-approves-new-sanctions-against-russia-over-
ukraine-war

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/eu-approves-new-sanctions-russia-ukraine-war-
95381751

https://eu-solidarity-ukraine.ec.europa.eu/eu-sanctions-against-russia-following-invasion-ukraine_en

https://www.europeansanctions.com/2022/12/eu-adopts-9th-package-of-russia-sanctions/

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3635687-eu-officially-adopts-ninth-package-of-sanctions-
against-russia.html

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2802

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-agrees-9th-sanctions-package-against-russia-diplomats-
2022-12-15/

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/sanctions/
 Sanctions, or restrictive measures, are a significant tool in the EU's Common Foreign and
Security Policy (CFSP). The EU utilizes them as a component of a comprehensive policy strategy that
incorporates political discourse, complementary efforts, and the use of other means at its disposal.
Sanctions are designed to influence the policy or conduct of those targeted in order to achieve the
CFSP's objectives. All the EU's restrictive measures are completely in accordance with international law
obligations, including those concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The EU has progressively imposed sanctions and restrictive measures against Russia since 2014
in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea. EU leaders opted in March 2015 to connect the existing
economic sanctions system to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. Russia has never
completely followed the accords, because of that EU has significantly expanded the sanctions. In light to
Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and the illegal acquisition
of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, the EU imposed unprecedented
sanctions. The European Commission welcomes the enactment of the sixth package of sanctions against
Russia. This package also includes further measures against Belarus in account of its participation in the
aggression. They are in supplementary to the sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014 in relation to the
annexation of Crimea and the inability to execute the Minsk agreements. The sanctions imposed today,
in conjunction with the previous five packages, are unprecedented and are intended to put economic
pressure on Russia while undermining its capacity to prosecute its war on Ukraine. Individual sanctions,
economic sanctions, and visa restrictions are all manifestations of these additional sanctions. In regards
with individual sanctions, it targets individuals who support, finance, or carry out acts that threaten
Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence, or who gain from such actions. On the
other hand, the goal of the economic sanctions is to penalize Russia severely for its conduct and
effectively prevent Russia's ability to continue its aggression. They have been coordinated with
international partners, as with previous sanctions packages.

Moreover, the package includes a total prohibition on all Russian seaborne crude oil and
petroleum products imports. The prohibition includes transition periods to allow the sector and global
markets to adapt, as well as a temporary exception for pipeline crude oil to guarantee that Russian oil is
phased out gradually. Thus, this allows the EU and its allies to acquire alternative sources while reducing
the impact on global oil prices. Aside from that, in terms of export restrictions, today's package contains
prohibitions on chemicals that may be used in the production of chemical weapons. To sum it up, these
packages contains the following elements: (1) Oil import restrictions; (2) Oil transport services; (3)
Financial and business services measures; (4) Broadcasting suspension; and (6) Export restrictions.
Furthermore, the EU adopted the 9th package of sanctions against Russia today. These include the
following: new export controls and restrictions on dual-use goods and technology; export ban on
aviation and space industry goods and technology; ban on the direct exports of drone engines; an asset
freeze against 2 additional Russian banks; a full transaction ban on the Russian Regional Development
Bank; suspension of broadcasting licenses of 4 Russian media outlets; ban on the provision of EU
advertising, market research and public opinion polling services; prohibition of new investments in the
Russian mining sector; and the prohibition for EU national to hold any posts on the governing bodies of
all Russian state-owned.

However, the Commission and the High Representative are prepared to impose more measures
in response to Russia's persistent aggression against Ukraine. Therefore, the Commission is
strengthening its outreach to stakeholders and authorities to provide guidance and exchange
information and best practices in order to ensure that the six adopted packages are implemented as
effectively and consistently as feasible. While Russia's aggression against Ukraine unfolds, it is vital that
EU restrictive measures are effectively enforced and that breaches of those measures are not permitted
to pay off.