- 期刊
From Democratization to Disintegration: The Battle for the European Union's Eastern Periphery-A Geopolitical Note/ Perception
並列摘要
Unconsolidated democracies on the European eastern periphery are confronted with the existence of Russia's backed secessionist regions scattered across the post-Soviet space. While some of them have existed for more than two decades, others have joined the club of 'pariahs' only recently. The existence of unrecognized states presents not only a direct challenge to the territorial integrity of parent states, but also prevents Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia from consolidating their statehoods and political systems. This article analyzes whether their very existence is challenging the state system paradigm predicated upon a rigid understanding of territorial sovereignty, or they just serve the Kremlin's geopolitical interest in the post-Soviet space. The article argues that, in order to consolidate statehood, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - being confronted by the much stronger Russian Federation-need to adjust to the existing geopolitical situation in which insistence on absolute territorial integrity is unrealistic. This paper highlights the exigency of paying attention to the fact that a conflict in Ukraine brings a significant change. By providing external support to local forces, Russia deliberately provokes internal ethno-political conflict in Ukraine in order to geopolitically destabilize a periphery of the European Union (EU) and clear the way for intervention and extension of the zone of instability.