Womack: Be wary of Russia based on actions before seizure of Crimea

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) made a blog post recently to discuss his views about U.S. foreign policy.

“For the sake of review, Ukraine shares its eastern border with Russia and its western border with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania,” Womack said in the post. “Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and since then, its history has been a tumultuous ride led by corrupt oligarchs attempting to toe the line between Russia and the Western world.”

“In November 2013, the Ukrainian government made a last-minute decision – due to Russian pressure – to not sign an Association Agreement with the European Union which would have better aligned the nation with its Western neighbors,” Womack said.

“This sparked anti-government protests throughout Ukraine and led to the Yanukovych government fleeing the country,” Womack said. “In response, on February 27, 2014, the Ukrainian Parliament approved a new government, headed by Arseniy Yatsenyuk and no key figures from the former regime.”

“The same day the new government was approved, Russian Federation military forces poured into Crimea, seizing airports and other key installations,” Womack said. “On March 16, 2014, the Crimean authorities held a questionable referendum on Crimea’s annexation to Russia. Two days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a ‘treaty’  with Crimean leaders formally incorporating Crimea into Russia.”

“Since this time, Ukrainian separatists, aided by the Russian military, have been waging a bloody war throughout Ukraine,” Womack said. “Although cease-fires have momentarily slowed down the fighting, the war continues and calls into question the future of the balance of power in Europe.”
 

Womack is a native of Russellville, Arkansas. After attending K-10 in Moberly, Missouri, Womack’s family returned to Arkansas in 1973, and he graduated from Russellville High School in 1975. Womack earned a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech University in 1979 and, after graduation, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Arkansas Army National Guard.