The Security Dilemma and the Impact of the Russian-Ukraine Conflict on Pakistan-U.S. Relations

Abstract

On February 24, 2022, Russia has attacked Ukraine, met, claiming that its action was in response to a threat to national security and enlargement of NATO membership. This invasion, which is the most complex and large-scale military aggression in Europe after the Second World War, has negatively impacted not only Russia and Ukraine but also the international political and economic systems. The conflict has distorted the food value chain across the globe since Russia and Ukraine are significant producers of agricultural commodities, which was given the name ’’Breadbasket of Europe.” This war has resulted in major shifts in peoples’ consumption patterns and put great pressure on producers to adapt the supply chain models. The global implications arising from this are issues of food and fuel inflation, macro-economic fluctuation, pressures on exchange value and security risks. From the perspective of Pakistan the war is full of opportunities and constraints in managing its foreign policy and particularly relationship with United States. This paper focuses on the security dilemma whereby states consider certain actions of other states as posing a threat, and act defensively in response; This paper analyzes the security dilemma with relation to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This research is specifically devoted to the analysis of Pakistan’s neutrality in the war, its economic effects on Pakistan, and the relations between Pakistan and the United States, as well as Pakistan’s positioning between Russia, China, and the United States. Understandably therefore, this paper offers an understanding of the various strategic management problems faced by Pakistan in handling the war and more profoundly, grasps the picture of the war and the interplay of the forces of global power in the current international relations system in a climate of growing globalization.