Ukraine in the Third and Fourth Years of the War

Abstract

In this text, the author analyzes Ukraine's situation in the third and fourth years of open conflict with Russia. He begins by presenting several reasons from the early 1990s, when independent Ukraine was being formed, which influenced its subsequent relations with the Russian Federation. The recollection of these few events from mutual relations is not intended to be nostalgic, but rather to show the deep causes of the current conflict. The current war is not about Putin's ambitions, but has deeper roots in contemporary Russia's perception of this former large Soviet republic, rich in land and human capital. In this context, Putin's speech at the Munich conference in 2007 was “only” a loud expression of grievances and resentments against the backdrop of the collapse of the USSR, but it was not merely an expression of regret, but a deliberate attempt to drive a wedge into the NATO alliance. Since the beginning of its independence, Ukraine has been a battleground for different social models, guided by different principles and varying levels of participation in government. After 1991, Ukraine and Russia signed various agreements and treaties, but Russia continued to pressure successive Ukrainian governments to return the country to its former sphere of influence. The return of Donald Trump to power is an indisputable turning point, also for this conflict. His political style is also reflected in his military actions. We are witnessing a reconstruction of the architecture created at the end of World War II and modified after the Cold War. Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine has recently undertaken several economic initiatives aimed at strengthening the economy. When thinking about this, the conflict over Ukrainian grain being sent abroad comes to mind first, but there are other events in the economy that point to attempts to introduce several projects aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian state.