Dealing with Territorial Cleavages

Abstract

This chapter examines how territorially concentrated populations and interests in Ukraine negotiated the constitutional process after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, with particular emphasis on the so-called Faustian bargain between Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk and western Ukrainian nationalists. It first considers the historical background on the ethnic divisions in the Ukraine, especially between “Ukrainophiles” and “Russophiles,” before discussing the period of constitutional engagement from 1991 to 1996, which saw efforts to create a constitutional system that accommodates the country’s stark regional differences. It then analyzes the outcome of the Faustian pact, focusing on the violent conflict that erupted in 2014 following its breakdown and the collapse of Viktor Yanukovych’s regime. It also reflects on the lessons that can be drawn from the Ukrainian experience, with reference to how the nature of politics at the center affects politically salient demands for local autonomy.