Until now, there are still many international conflicts that occur throughout the world. One of them is the European conflict experienced by several countries in the region. Usually involving differences in values, interests, territorial or resource disputes and other issues.
The conflicts that hit the European region can generally be divided into several levels. The levels in question start from rhetoric, armed confrontation, to war between countries. Pijar friends, let’s look at the discussion of several examples of the following conflicts!
Background of the European Conflict
The European continent consists of several countries with different historical backgrounds, ethnic diversity elements, and resources. Historically, Europe is a region that often experiences power struggles.
This can be seen from the history of early European civilization until entering the 20th century. Conflicts between several countries in Western and Eastern Europe have spread throughout the world. Some examples of European conflicts are the Ukrainian Conflict, the Armenian Conflict and the Bosnia-Herzegovina Conflict.
The almost endless European conflict was caused by the Soviet Union (Russia) and the United States. They have tried to form several countries that can be used for their own interests.
Based on research, the root of the conflict that is a major problem in Europe is selfishness to seize territory from several countries involved. Other factors include economic, political, and military competition.
Conflict in Europe
The conflicts that occurred between European countries were actually part of World War I. The following are several examples of European conflicts and their causes that are important to know, including:
Conflict in Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina
Herzegovina or Bosnia or simply called Bosnia is a republic located on the Balkan Peninsula. Bosnia is actually still part of the former Yugoslavia under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito.
Entering March 1, 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared itself a sovereign state through a referendum. This proclamation was well received by the international community and was officially registered as a member of the UN.
However, the European conflict began when the proclamation received rejection from ethnic Serbs. Under the leadership of Slobodan Milasevic and Rodovan Karadzin, various efforts were made by ethnic Serbs to prevent the formation of the Bosnian state.
Around 1992, ethnic Serbs intensified their attacks in various major Bosnian cities. The attacks continued until July 1995, when Serbs massacred up to 8,000 Bosnian Muslims.
International security organizations such as NATO and the UN participated in resolving the Bosnian War. NATO and the UN carried out direct airstrikes to stop the crimes of the Serb ethnic group.
The Bosnian War was successfully stopped with the Dayton peace agreement held in November 1995. The territory of Bosnia in this agreement was divided into 2 countries, namely the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska.
Nagorno Karabakh conflict
The European region that is still in conflict until now is Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh is a region that is geographically located in the Azerbaijan region. Even so, the population inhabiting this region is dominated by ethnic Armenians.
Azerbaijan and Armenia were once part of the Soviet Union which was made into a federation. In addition, the Nagorno-Karabakh region is also officially part of Azerbaijan. The European conflict emerged when Mikhail Gorbachev as president of the Soviet Union made the Glasnost and Perestroika policies in 1985.
The policy stated that each region of the Soviet Union would be free to determine its future. Azerbaijan and Armenia eventually decided to become sovereign states.
As a result, a war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia to control the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This war was divided into two phases, namely phase I (1988 to 1991) and phase II (1992 – 1994). The dispute continues to this day because it has not found a bright spot.
Ukrainian War
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is a complex European conflict with a long history. The background of the Russia-Ukraine war can be traced back to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
When the Soviet Union was dissolved, Ukraine took the opportunity to become an independent country. However, Russia did not accept Ukraine’s independence and made various efforts to thwart it.
Around 2014, Russia also attempted to seize control of the Crimean Peninsula. This received international condemnation, but Russia still refused to liberate Crimea.
In February 2022, Russia deployed its military forces to attack Ukraine. This attack turned out to get quite fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the world is world inflation, food crisis, and energy constraints.
Meanwhile, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Indonesia is the decline in the capital market and the rupiah exchange rate. The price of wheat commodities as the basic ingredient for bread and instant noodles is also certain to skyrocket.
The European conflict has become a serious problem in the international world. Each conflict has a complex background and quite diverse impacts. In general, it requires diplomatic efforts as a solution to realize peace.