Ukraine's Search for its Place in Europe: The East or the West?

The pace of democratic political and economic reforms in Ukraine has been slower than that of some other democracies of post-communist Eastern and Central Europe. Ukraine is still uncertain of its future development orientation. The reasons for this uncertainty involve internal factors such as the historically diverse political, cultural and ethnic affiliations of Ukraines population. At the same time, the impact of external factors, especially Russian and Western geo-strategic interests relating to the future of Ukraine, also contribute to the current crisis. The thesis examines the historically-based geopolitical and cultural attachments of the Ukrainian people in relation to the nation-formation process in independent Ukraine. The absence of a common national identity in Ukraine is one of the obstacles to successful national development. In the case of Ukraine, a sense of national identity cannot be based purely on ethno-cultural and regional bonds. On the contrary, the emphasis on the rise of civic consciousness among all strata of Ukrainian society seems crucial. The successful integration of major democratic values might afford a clear direction for the countrys future development, and help define its place in Europe in a way that would be acceptable to a majority of the Ukrainian people.