Throughout its troubled history Ukraine has repeatedly been undone by the splintering of its national forces into competing interests, leaving the country wide open to foreign domination via the tried and tested methods of divide and rule. This lack of unity shattered the power of the once-thriving Kyiv Rus civilisation long before the Mongols arrived to deliver the coup de grace, and in later centuries put paid to numerous Cossack attempts at nation-building as Tsars and Polish noblemen bribed and cajoled regional chieftains with wealth and honours into turning against their fellow-countrymen. In more recent years this debilitating national characteristic has come to be seen exclusively through the prism of the Russia vs Europe divide, but in reality this tradition of in-fighting and betrayal far outdates modern political considerations and is as Ukrainian as embroidered shirts and salo.
A divided land ripe for the taking
It therefore comes as no surprise to find that as Ukraine prepares to face the threat of renewed Russian encroachment, the country is once more divided and apparently ripe for the taking. The President and Prime Minister are engaged in a Cold War which threatens to break out into open hostilities at any moment, while the pro-Russian opposition Party of Regions sits back and enjoys the show, entering the fray from time to time to stir up ethnic tensions or attempt to break up the already dysfunctional governing coalition.
Rarely has a country appeared so ill-prepared to face an external threat. The divisions within the country cannot all be explained by mere reference to language, religion or even a preference for alliance with Russia or the West. While these factors all play a role in shaping the battles taking place for the soul of modern Ukraine, they have been magnified and exploited by the country’s traditional clannish political interests and the subterranean power struggles which continue to shape the national debate.
Little effort has been made to focus on positives like the way in which independent Ukraine has managed to avoid the ethnic bloodshed which has plagued much of the former USSR, or the huge strides that have been made to protect freedom of speech and freedom of conscience in the country. These successes, coupled with the growth of a grass roots democratic culture, could serve as imposing foundation stones in a modern nation-building process, providing Ukrainians with a strong sense of identity imbued with a respect for the highest values of European civilisation that stands in stark contrast to the authoritarian instincts of their Eurasian neighbours. Instead, we have a President who appears focused on a polarising interpretation of ethnic Ukrainian identity and a political class more interested in pillaging the country than building a nation. That, in short, is a recipe for impending disaster.
The folly of 1994: disarmed and betrayed
With the Russian bear looming ever larger on the horizon, it is particularly timely to remember that, back in the dark days of 1994, Ukraine was the first and only nation in world history to opt for unilateral nuclear disarmament. This decision was accompanied by guarantees from the West and the Kremlin to safeguard Ukraine’s territorial integrity. These promises have clearly been forgotten, both by the Russian demagogues who call for the annexation of Crimea and south east Ukraine, and by the European powers who refuse to offer the country the security of roadmaps towards EU and NATO membership. In an age when we are often told that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction has become one of the great threats to global security, it is almost incredible that Ukraine’s noble gesture should be disregarded in such a callous and deceitful manner. One wonders how the situation would alter if the Ukrainian government were to announce that it had, in fact, kept a few warheads in reserve, but unfortunately it seems that the country’s nuclear disarmament programme was the sole military undertaking carried out in 1990s Ukraine which did not involve massive corruption and duplicity.
The sad truth is that Ukraine cannot rely on international support in its struggle to resist Russia. Events in Georgia emphatically demonstrated that the West is also suffering from its own prolonged bout of disunity. Ukraine’s only remaining hope is that the threat of resurgent Russian imperialism will galvanize the country’s leadership before it is too late.
