Ukraine—Whole-Land Independence or Foreign Fragmentation?

Ukrainian occupiers down the centuries have followed Caesar's maxim—divide ut regnes (“divide in order to control”). The logic is Well, you got your independence, so why shouldn’t Volhynia/Right Bank/Crimea/Donbas have theirs? How can you, of all nations, begrudge the aspirations to independence of another region? While decrying Ukrainian nationalism, they have promoted micro-nationalism.

Ukrainians and Russians take different stances on whether that is gaslighting or not.

Russians see Ukraine as a complex mixture of Russian border-regions which have been alienated from their natural Russian roots. Ukrainian independence has been weaponized by the West to destabilize Russia. Economic sanctions and Ukraine’s desire to join the EU are proof that Ukraine is a pawn in a global anti-Russian game. The West, with its lust for control of world resources, is the great predator.

This is different from the NATO countries’ articulated understanding. For them, Russia is the great predator, hungry for control of Ukrainian resources. The Western nations simply want a “free market” in which they can bargain for the lowest possible prices for Ukrainian gas and wheat. Western media portray the West as the great gift-giver; the provider of arms and ammunition to the legitimate democratic state. No mention is made of any post-war friendship price-tag.

From a Ukrainian viewpoint, they acknowledge the tension between Russia and the West—but they want to avoid actual involvement. They desire independence, and are prepared to offer Ukrainian neutrality as an alternative to being the client state of anybody. After centuries of having their resources controlled and taken by others, they want peace in which to develop on their own.