At the current moment in history, Ukraine's adviser Podolyak has issued a warning: if the struggle is abandoned, Ukraine will cease to exist. Russia** Putin has a different point of view: in the territory of the Russian Empire, Ukraine has never existed independently. These two very different voices have provoked deep reflection on Ukraine's place in history.
The interweaving of power and resistance
Podolyak, head of the Ukrainian office, stressed on November 19 that Ukraine's disappearance would be a direct consequence of the abandonment of the struggle. He raised the question: will the historical significance of Ukraine be affirmed if the fight for Crimea is not made?Will Ukraine still be able to maintain its existence on the stage of history if the occupied lands are abandoned?
And on November 4, Putin** expressed the opposite view, arguing that the concept of Ukraine as an independent state was formed during the period of Soviet rule, and before that, the Russian Empire did not consider Ukraine an independent entity.
Echoes of history
Relations between Ukraine and Russia have a long history, fraught with contradictions of dependency, conquest and independence. From the beginning of the 17th century, the Ukrainians revolted as a result of the oppression of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1654, Khmelnitsky, the leader of the Ukrainian Cossacks, signed the Treaty of Pereyaslav with the Russian Tsar, and Eastern Ukraine was officially incorporated into the Russian Empire, beginning the history of the alliance between the two. Western Ukraine, on the other hand, was conquered by the Russian Empire in 1764.
The desire for independence
Despite the alliance of Eastern Ukraine with the Russian Empire, the desire for independence never disappeared. After the death of Khmelnitsky, his successors became disobedient. During the time of Peter the Great, Russian troops were stationed in Ukraine, ready to suppress rebellions at any time.
Modern vs. contemporary in Ukraine
Zionism in Ukraine has never been extinguished. After World War I, Western Ukraine briefly became independent, but was soon annexed by Poland. During World War II, Bandera collaborated with the Nazis to establish the "Ukrainian state", but with the Soviet Union**, the state quickly withered.
In 1954, the Soviet leader gifted Crimea to Ukraine, a move that laid the groundwork for today's Russia-Ukraine war. In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine gained independence and international recognition until the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Conclusion
Putin** claimed that there was no Ukrainian presence in the Russian Empire, while Podolyak insisted that Ukraine must resist to maintain its existence. Between these two perspectives, Ukraine's fate and historical place have become the focus of global attention.