Ukraine and Russia From civilized divorce to uncivil war

Paul J. D'Anieri, 1965-

Book - 2019

D'Anieri explores the dynamics within Ukraine, between Ukraine and Russia, and between Russia and the West, that emerged with the collapse of the Soviet Union and eventually led to war in 2014. Proceeding chronologically, this book shows how Ukraine's separation from Russia in 1991, at the time called a 'civilized divorce', led to what many are now calling 'a new Cold War'. He argues that the conflict has worsened because of three underlying factors - the security dilemma, the impact of democratization on geopolitics, and the incompatible goals of a post-Cold War Europe. Rather than a peaceful situation that was squandered, D'Anieri argues that these were deep-seated pre-existing disagreements that could n...ot be bridged, with concerning implications for the resolution of the Ukraine conflict. The book also shows how this war fits into broader patterns of contemporary international conflict and should therefore appeal to researchers working on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia's relations with the West, and conflict and geopolitics more generally.

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Subjects
Published
Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York : Cambridge University Press 2019.
Language
English
Main Author
Paul J. D'Anieri, 1965- (author)
Physical Description
xi, 282 pages : maps ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9781108486095
9781108713955
  • The sources of conflict over Ukraine
  • New world order? 1989-1993
  • Hope and hardship, 1994-1999
  • Autocracy and revolution : 1999-2004
  • Reform and reversal, 2004-2010
  • Viktor Yanukovych and the path to confrontation, 2010-2013
  • From revolution to war : 2013-2015
  • Conclusion: Ukraine, Russia, and the West : from Cold War to Cold War.
Review by Choice Review

The collapse of the Soviet Union was undoubtedly one of the most consequential events of world history and international politics in the past 50 years and beyond. Although the breakup of the USSR took place almost without bloodshed, it quickly became clear that Russia was unable to accept its new political reality. Nowhere is this unwillingness more visible than in relations between Russia and Ukraine. In this book, D'Anieri (Univ. of California, Riverside), a well-known specialist in Ukrainian affairs, documents and attempts to explain Russia's persistent interference in Ukrainian politics. Although not a strict historical study, this volume offers a very detailed account of developments from the 1990s to 2019, covering agreements between the two states, the role of economic factors (in particular Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy), and the impact of international affairs relating to US elections, NATO, and the Balkans. D'Anieri is ultimately pessimistic about the possibility of a resolution to the impasse between Ukraine and Russia soon. Whether or not his pessimism is justified, this book provides a sophisticated analysis, supported by cogent facts, to understand this troubling conflict. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals. --Theodore R. Weeks, Southern Illinois University

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.