Ukraine's nation and state building process and the effects of global powers to this process

This study analyses the nation and state building process in Ukraine following independence, with additional emphasis on the influence of the global powers in this process within the framework of geopolitical theories. The United States was considered the winner of the Cold War in its aftermath, Russia having lost its formerly strong position in the global arena. In the era that started after the Cold War, as the United States was pushing to retain its hegemony, Russia was looking to regain its status as a super power, and within this environment, the world's geopolitical balance changed. For Ukraine, which had gained its independency following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, this was an extremely significant period given its geopolitical location. This study is based on the assumption that Ukraine, as a state continues to face obstacles in its nation- and state-building processes, is more susceptible to the influence of global powers due to its inability to bring these processes to an end. When compared to the more powerful and modern nation states, the nation and state building processes in Ukraine is more likely to be affected by struggles among the global powers. It has been argued that the international system and the global powers have played a defining role in Ukraine's nation building process, equalling that of the country's ethnic, historical, religious and cultural heritage, which has led to the process taking longer than expected. The analysis, conducted as a part of the study, affirms that the slowness of Ukraine's state and nation building renders it more exposed to the influence of the aforementioned outside forces (the West and Russia), and it is apparent that some global powers have the ability to influence the nation and state building process. It is shown that Ukraine has difficulties in achieving its state and nation building due to inevitability of sustaining relations with Russia; its heterogeneous ethnic composition; the Russian culture, which prevents national unity and its on-going effects; and continuing Russian effect in Ukraine even after the independence. Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the occupation of the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine give the impression in the international arena that a 'civil war' is continuing in Ukraine, although the Russian interventions in Ukrainian territories have actually led to the creation of a sense of identity in Ukraine. In this regard, the 'we' of the Ukrainian community and the consolidation of values such as national solidarity, unity and patriotism, are in direct opposition to Russia, which is seen as the 'other'. Russia's power struggle with the West is currently focused on Ukraine, and while the country is still encountering hurdles in its state- and nation-building efforts 23 years after gaining independence from Russia, rapid advances were made in its endeavours after Russia invaded its territory in 2014.