We live in difficult times. More than two years have passed since Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The illegal annexation of Crimea cannot become the status quo. The Russian aim is obviously to keep Crimea off the international agenda, let time pass and hope that this will simply become a fact of life. Despite persistent Russian denials, regular Russian troops remain in Donbass, and Moscow continues to provide military equipment and training to the separatists in eastern Ukraine. The intensity of the conflict in eastern Ukraine can be increased or decreased depending on what best serves the interests of the Kremlin at any given moment. The annexation and the Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine is the greatest challenge to the European security order since the Second World War. Russian actions against Ukraine go beyond aggression; they constitute a threat to the right of countries in Russia’s neighbourhood to make policy choices of their own.Läs talet
