Europe S Influence On Ukrainian State Building A Struggle For Identity Between Europe And Russia

Master's Thesis from the year 2006 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Eastern Europe, grade: 1,3, University of Hamburg (Departement für Wirtschaft und Politik), language: English, abstract: Up to today the realities in Post-Soviet space are defined by the search for state and national identity in contrast to the former peripheral existence during the Soviet past. From the very beginning of their independence the newly independent states were afflicted with different problems resulting from the ambiguous situation of quasi sovereignty but still strictly Moscow centralised rule. A regime change always demands great flexibility in ideas of these who have to deal with the remains of the past and the results of the breakdown in order to find an adequate approach to the new realities. It is therefore not astonishing that in account to the various economic and social constraints in the different Newly Independent States, each was in search of its own way to deal with the problems of state-building, acceptance of the international community and Russia's attempts to dominate the former sphere of influence. The analysis will deal with the special case of Ukraine's emancipation from the USSR heritage and the historic dominance of an imperial Russia. The focus of analysis will be put on the processes of state-identity building in the framework of Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), Western Europe and the EU, as well as the context of Russian foreign policy towards the 'Near Abroad'. The subject is especially relevant today, since a wave of 'colourful' revolutions has taken place on the territories of some former Soviet republics in the past to years, showing that the political processes of forming a nation are still hard to predict in that region. The important change that goes on in the former Soviet republics, including Ukraine, is the transition from the main foreign policy objective of the 1990s - either to escape from Russia or to stay

This book surveys the Ukrainian-EU relationship in light of the legacies of more than two hundred years of direct Russian rule. It examines interrelationships between identities, loyalties and political/cultural orientations, reviews policies, and identifies salient forces and trends.

A key country for stability and security in Europe, Ukraine is struggling to create consistent foreign and security policies. Political alliances, identity struggles, economic goals, and geopolitical position all pull this newly emergent state in different and often conflicting directions. Due to its dependencies on both the West and Russia, Ukraine's foreign policy is in a state of flux. To ensure stability in this newly-emergent state, the contributors to this volume argue that the West should be more assertive in offering an unambiguous developmental perspective, supporting democracy and the rule of law, and offer E.U. affiliation in the near future. International Relations theory and Ukraine's foreign policy are examined in the first section, followed by chapters exploring civil-military relations. Next comes a look at Ukraine's foreign and security policy orientations in comparative context. The book concludes with chapters focusing on matters of national identity, ideology, and their impact on Ukrainian security policy. Scholars and analysts of contemporary Eastern European politics will be interested in what these well-known scholars and government officials have to say about the contemporary state of affairs in this pivotal nation.

It is not hyperbole to suggest that the foundations of post-cold war security in Europe have been badly damaged by the conflict in Ukraine since 2014. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine appear to have created a ‘simmering’ conflict, which may take years to resolve and have profound consequences for the European security environment. This volume explores the various political, economic and social aspects of these profound changes and their wider significance for Europe, bringing together contributions by scholars from across the continent and in various disciplinary fields to offer an authoritative, in-depth examination of the complex causes of the Ukraine crisis and the consequences for Ukrainian statehood, Ukraine’s relations with Russia, Russia’s own domestic governance and Russia’s relations with Europe. This book was originally published as a special issue of Europe-Asia Studies.

This volume provides a cross-national analysis of the changing identities of various national and ethnic groups, their new political influence in the emergent democracies and their efforts to revive suppressed cultures. It begins with a theoretical analysis of the concepts of national identity and ethnicity. It features case studies of contemporary Belarussian, Polish and Ukrainian national identities before turning to a study of Eastern Europe's hidden ethnic minorities, like the Finno-Ugric peoples in Russia, the Lemkos in Poland and the Gypsies in Bulgaria.

Ukraine and Europe challenges the popular perception of Ukraine as a country torn between Europe and the east. Twenty-two scholars from Europe, North America, and Australia explore the complexities of Ukraine's relationship with Europe and its role the continent's historical and cultural development. Encompassing literary studies, history, linguistics, and art history, the essays in this volume illuminate the interethnic, interlingual, intercultural, and international relationships that Ukraine has participated in. The volume is divided chronologically into three parts: the early modern era, the 19th and 20th century, and the Soviet/post-Soviet period. Ukraine in Europe offers new and innovative interpretations of historical and cultural moments while establishing a historical perspective for the pro-European sentiments that have arisen in Ukraine following the Euromaidan protests.

Law, Territory and Conflict Resolution examines the role of law in territorial disputes and legal realities in territorial conflicts by critically reflecting on the well-established assumption that law is ‘part of the solution’ rather than ‘part of the problem’.