A fragmented Ukraine part of the West or apart from the West?

Abstract

This thesis examines the formation of Ukrainian national identity. The formation of this national identity will determine the pace and direction of Ukrainian modernization and unfolds in concert with the unification of Europe

the further progress of NATO enlargement and the revival of Russian nationalism at the end of the first decade of this century. The Ukrainian process is logically suggested by the country's neighbor: Poland. In the Polish model since 1989, national identity and a leading role in a uniting Europe sped the pace of reform. Modern-day Ukraine has all the attributes of a state except a consolidated national identity. The primary internal reasons for the lack of national identity are the interpretations of the history of the Ukrainian people, ethnic composition, and regional loyalties. Furthermore, the interference of Russia on ethnic, linguistic, regional, and economic levels exacerbates the present divisions in Ukrainian society. As this thesis reveals, the process of nation-building is intertwined with statebuilding. The United States and European Union member states have an important stake in the outcome of this process because it will not only significantly shape Ukraine's foreign policy orientation, but also influence the balance of power on Europe's eastern edge.