Evan Roeschen, Sophomore
Elections are a time for the people to express their views, make their voices heard, and a chance to change the political climate. But changing the climate in a nation embroiled in civil war and armed conflict with the world's largest superpower may end up plunging the country into further turmoil and wipe it off the map completely. Americans today are solely focused on their internal conflicts but one quick look at the rest of the world and the image of global unity and peace that many strive and preach here in the states evaporates. One of the longest conflicts in modern history is the Ukrainian Civil War and conflict with Russia, which has plunged Eastern Europe into chaos once again as if the USSR never left.
The conflict going on in Ukraine is not caused by scandal, corruption, or a political shift in government. Rather, it’s something that the Ukrainian people are far to familiar with: being occupied by Russia. While the world focused on North Korea and the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, a war was brewing in the heartland of Europe that no one noted as important. 2014 was historic as it became the first year since 1991 that borders shifted. The fall of the Soviet Union created multiple independent nation states in the new world order, one of them being Ukraine. A long time ally and supporter of NATO and supporter of the European Union, Ukraine has strived to maintain its stance in Europe as a newly independent nation. Peace, however, was not on the agenda of Vladimir Putin, the all supreme president of Russia who has been dubbed a dictator by many in the West including Ukrainians themselves. Following victory in the 2014 Olympics, the political storm clouds rolled in and to this day have not lifted. Crimea on March 18 overwhelmingly voted to declare independence from their mother state and later on voted in a referendum to join The Russian Federation. This gave Russia access to the Mediterranean sea trade roots which was a danger to the Western powers mainly the United States. The current political conflict started here.
Fast forward to March 2019: with elections coming up on the 31st the storm is about to blow one regional power out of the water. The current president Petro Poroshenko who took over following Russia's annexation of Eastern Ukraine in 2014 has lost the support of the people and has failed to rally his base behind him platform of pro NATO, pro EU and backing military rebels against Russia. His challengers are taking advantage of his faltering popularity and looking to catapult themselves into power. In total, a record number of candidates have announced their candidacy, the total number being 44. Yulia Tymoshenko, who challenged Petro in 2014 and lost, is making a second attempt to become the nation's president. Her campaign platform is similar to the current presidents as she supports the West and firmly opposes the Russian annexed Eastern Ukraine and Crimean regions. She has, however, become a force in national politics she was the prime minister in 2005 and 2007. Tymoshenko has also promised to recover stolen money from the national treasury and fight corruption. Despite this appealing set of campaign promises she is shockingly only second in the polls coming in at current projections with 18%. The front runner is new comer Volodymyr Zelinsky, a comedian who is breaking the political establishment and making his mark on the country. He is the rebel candidate in the eyes of the media and establishment. Yulia and Petro both are supportive of the West, meanwhile Zelinsky is going against the mainstream narrative. His strongest voter base are ethnic speaking Russians living in Ukrainian territory. He is polling at 25% and his strongest rival appears to be Tymoshenko.
Putin and the powers of Europe are eyeing Ukraine closely to see where the nations allegiance will be after the election. Most likely, the top three front runners will divide the country and if no candidate gets 50% of the vote secondary elections will take place on April 21. It is likely Zelinsky won't win the first round but will most likely win the second regardless of who he faces. The political mainstream narrative in the West has shattered opening the door for rebels like Zelinsky to seize power. His rivals have accused him of being a puppet of Putin and sympathetic to the annexation of Western Ukraine. This election is not merely for the next president of a nation, it is a proxy war between Moscow and Brussels. Only the people can decide who wins this battle and who will face Russia to end the war on their terms.
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