Ukraine: A country where sovereignty has been challenged.
The large European region of Ukraine
has been contested politically throughout
its History. Ukraine’s population of 44.5
million (as of 2015) has been decreasing
as a result of net migration loss and a
natural decrease.
Despite it being a major producer of
food, such as grain due to its fertile
lands, Ukraine is classified by the World
Bank as a lower middle-income
economy. Ukraine also produces heavy
manufacturing products with extensive coal, iron ore, and other mineral deposits.
However, the GDP per capita has been falling in recent years.
Causes and Challenges to the government.
In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine became an independent
country, however, following this, civil liberty, democracy, economic reform, and
prosperity have been difficult to achieve.
This can, however, be explained due to different factors such as:
- The geographical position of Ukraine between Russia and the EU countries.
- The internal political division of the eastern region speaking Russian and the
western speaking Ukrainian.
- Ethnic disparities between the 77.8% that are Ukrainian and the 17.3% that are
Russian.
- The inability to build a common or national identity, and thus develop strong state
mechanisms. This has resulted in endemic corruption, attempts to rig elections,
unpopular governmental policies, and violent demonstrations.
Recent political events, such as the civil unrest in 2013, have challenged the state
sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. This was a result of failure to sign
the EU Association Agreement on trade and cooperation with the EU in favour of
closer ties with Russian, on behalf of Yanukovych government.
The invasion and annexation of Crimea, an area of autonomy within the South of
Ukraine, occurred shortly after in 2014 by the Russian Federation, after the election
of the Pro-West Poroshenko government.
There have also been events of military conflict in the Donbass region of eastern
Ukraine where pro-Russian separatists have been supported by the by the Russian
Federation in supplying finance, manpower, and weaponry.
There has also been assistance from NATO and the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), however to achieve this, the Ukrainian government
need to reform the state apparatus by:
- The development of a fair electoral system that is fair, transparent, and reliable.
The large European region of Ukraine
has been contested politically throughout
its History. Ukraine’s population of 44.5
million (as of 2015) has been decreasing
as a result of net migration loss and a
natural decrease.
Despite it being a major producer of
food, such as grain due to its fertile
lands, Ukraine is classified by the World
Bank as a lower middle-income
economy. Ukraine also produces heavy
manufacturing products with extensive coal, iron ore, and other mineral deposits.
However, the GDP per capita has been falling in recent years.
Causes and Challenges to the government.
In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine became an independent
country, however, following this, civil liberty, democracy, economic reform, and
prosperity have been difficult to achieve.
This can, however, be explained due to different factors such as:
- The geographical position of Ukraine between Russia and the EU countries.
- The internal political division of the eastern region speaking Russian and the
western speaking Ukrainian.
- Ethnic disparities between the 77.8% that are Ukrainian and the 17.3% that are
Russian.
- The inability to build a common or national identity, and thus develop strong state
mechanisms. This has resulted in endemic corruption, attempts to rig elections,
unpopular governmental policies, and violent demonstrations.
Recent political events, such as the civil unrest in 2013, have challenged the state
sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. This was a result of failure to sign
the EU Association Agreement on trade and cooperation with the EU in favour of
closer ties with Russian, on behalf of Yanukovych government.
The invasion and annexation of Crimea, an area of autonomy within the South of
Ukraine, occurred shortly after in 2014 by the Russian Federation, after the election
of the Pro-West Poroshenko government.
There have also been events of military conflict in the Donbass region of eastern
Ukraine where pro-Russian separatists have been supported by the by the Russian
Federation in supplying finance, manpower, and weaponry.
There has also been assistance from NATO and the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), however to achieve this, the Ukrainian government
need to reform the state apparatus by:
- The development of a fair electoral system that is fair, transparent, and reliable.
