Ukraine is on the edge again today, trying to find space. It is on the edge of Russia and on the edge of Europe, its old position. What makes this position unique is that Ukraine is independent and has been so for 18 years. This is the longest period of Ukrainian independence in centuries. What is most striking about the Ukrainians is that, while they appear to value their independence, the internal debate seems to focus in part on what foreign entity they should be aligned with. People in the west want to be part of the European Union. People in the east want to be closer to the Russians. The Ukrainians want to remain independent but not simply independent.
With this divide in elite and public opinion ruling out joining the West (and NATO itself, the military component of the "West", is in no rush at this point to accept a divided Ukraine over Russia's objections), what is a weak country bordering an increasingly assertive Russia to do?
Well, look to someone else for help. Is this a leading indicator for political support (from my Jane's email updates):
While China is famous for being the first choice for many industries looking to outsource their work to cheaper overseas labour markets, Beijing has in turn increasingly looked to Ukraine to provide subsystem components and improvements to its Russian-designed weapon systems. The former Soviet republic has now become the sole source for several types of critical defence technologies that are now central to several major Chinese programmes[.]
Ukrainians who want support for some type of independence can't be too choosy, I suppose.
