2 ms·

> is not a buffer state between two major political powers Ukraine is not a buffer state between two powers though. Only Americans see it like that, after the

> is not a buffer state between two major political powers Ukraine is not a buffer state between two powers though. Only Americans see it like that, after they regained independence from USSR. Ukrainians are an east Slavic ethnic group native of Ukraine, separated from Russians, who descend from Finno-Ugric tribes. Unlike 97% of Taiwanese people, who are Han Chinese like in mainland China. Taiwan is more like Catalonia, where Catalans insist that they are different from Spaniards, but the conclusion is that Catalans including other Spaniards and even Portuguese are the same ethnic people EDIT: immediate downvotes are probably from Russian zealots pretending that the World is indeed 100% Russian and should stay like that.

hosh 4y ago
A buffer state can still have sovereignty. For example, North Korea is a buffer state between Chinese/Russia and South Korea / Japan, America. This is more about geopolitical realities than territory and culture claimed by ethnic groups. If you are thinking of _vassal_ states, historically, Imperial China had some. A more complicated example, Qing-dynasty, Manchurian-controlled China tried to treat the kingdom of Korea as one. As far as I know, neither Ukraine or Taiwan were or are vassal states.
- peoplefromibiza 4y ago
  > North Korea That is inhabited by the same Koreans that live in the south and only exists for geopolitcal reasons. Just like east and west Germany. Ukraine exists because Ukranian people exist. Belgium is more of a buffer state than Ukraine (no, I'm not Ukranian, far from it)
  - ilammy 4y ago
    It is not about nationality, or ethnicity, or anything else about people living there, except international recognition of the territory and the amount of sovereignty it has. It is about geopolitical situation, where states A and C happen to have state B between them. When relations between A and C go real sour, then B becomes a buffer state between them (unless B is powerful enough to kick asses of both A and C, should anything escalate). The buffer state’s role in geopolitics is to get invaded first on the way, cause an international outrage, and hopefully defuse the tensions before A gets to “C proper” territory, or at least stall the invasion.
    - peoplefromibiza 4y ago
      > except international recognition of the territory and the amount of sovereignty it has You can be 100% sovereign and be a buffer state and 0% sovereign and not be one (see French Polynesia) > It is about geopolitical situation, where states A and C happen to have state B between them then Germany is a buffer state, Poland is a buffer state, Israel is a buffer state, Afghanistan is a buffer state. Sweden is a buffer state, Finland is a buffer state, Bulgaria is a buffer state, Switzerland is a buffer state, Mongolia is a buffer state, Canada is a buffer state etc. except that Ukraine has been described as a buffer state between Russia and the NATO bloc, at least up to the ousting of former President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014 We let them be an independent Nation when they agreed to become a kinda democratic country. Donbass is the buffer state there, between Ukraine and Russia. As far as we are concerned, Russia is not at war with Europe or NATO, but with Ukraine, for reasons belonging entirely to a Russian-Ukraine conflict. A buffer state is a "neutral area" that two powers agree on, Russia never really agreed on Ukraine independence and tried to make it a buffer between them and NATO. If Russia wins the war against Ukraine, then Ukraine will become a buffer state. If Ukraine was really a buffer state, we would be at war with Russia now, we surely would be if Russia attacked Finland or Sweden or Bulgaria or Romania or Poland, because it's Europe, or if USSR entered west Germany or when Iraq invaded Kuwait etc. etc. What happened when Yugoslavia (a buffer state) dissolved? Do you really believe USA would have missed a chance to go to war, given the motivation?

hosh 4y ago

A buffer state can still have sovereignty. For example, North Korea is a buffer state between Chinese/Russia and South Korea / Japan, America. This is more about geopolitical realities than territory and culture claimed by ethnic groups. If you are thinking of _vassal_ states, historically, Imperial China had some. A more complicated example, Qing-dynasty, Manchurian-controlled China tried to treat the kingdom of Korea as one. As far as I know, neither Ukraine or Taiwan were or are vassal states.

peoplefromibiza 4y ago
> North Korea That is inhabited by the same Koreans that live in the south and only exists for geopolitcal reasons. Just like east and west Germany. Ukraine exists because Ukranian people exist. Belgium is more of a buffer state than Ukraine (no, I'm not Ukranian, far from it)
- ilammy 4y ago
  It is not about nationality, or ethnicity, or anything else about people living there, except international recognition of the territory and the amount of sovereignty it has. It is about geopolitical situation, where states A and C happen to have state B between them. When relations between A and C go real sour, then B becomes a buffer state between them (unless B is powerful enough to kick asses of both A and C, should anything escalate). The buffer state’s role in geopolitics is to get invaded first on the way, cause an international outrage, and hopefully defuse the tensions before A gets to “C proper” territory, or at least stall the invasion.
  - peoplefromibiza 4y ago
    > except international recognition of the territory and the amount of sovereignty it has You can be 100% sovereign and be a buffer state and 0% sovereign and not be one (see French Polynesia) > It is about geopolitical situation, where states A and C happen to have state B between them then Germany is a buffer state, Poland is a buffer state, Israel is a buffer state, Afghanistan is a buffer state. Sweden is a buffer state, Finland is a buffer state, Bulgaria is a buffer state, Switzerland is a buffer state, Mongolia is a buffer state, Canada is a buffer state etc. except that Ukraine has been described as a buffer state between Russia and the NATO bloc, at least up to the ousting of former President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014 We let them be an independent Nation when they agreed to become a kinda democratic country. Donbass is the buffer state there, between Ukraine and Russia. As far as we are concerned, Russia is not at war with Europe or NATO, but with Ukraine, for reasons belonging entirely to a Russian-Ukraine conflict. A buffer state is a "neutral area" that two powers agree on, Russia never really agreed on Ukraine independence and tried to make it a buffer between them and NATO. If Russia wins the war against Ukraine, then Ukraine will become a buffer state. If Ukraine was really a buffer state, we would be at war with Russia now, we surely would be if Russia attacked Finland or Sweden or Bulgaria or Romania or Poland, because it's Europe, or if USSR entered west Germany or when Iraq invaded Kuwait etc. etc. What happened when Yugoslavia (a buffer state) dissolved? Do you really believe USA would have missed a chance to go to war, given the motivation?