The Crisis in Ukraine

To succeed in identifying the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and understanding its developments, it is necessary to analyze a number of complex historical, juridical, political, economic and social aspects, as well as a dimension that is 'spiritual' to some extent, on both an individual and a collective level, of the events which occurred in Maidan. This article pays particular attention to the relations which have improved over the last 25 years between the EU and Ukraine, which call for serious consideration, not least because of the need to set up new forms of dialogue and cooperation. The Author highlights both the various standpoints of the EU Member States and the uncertainties of the EU institutions. Several issues concerning the objectives and the implementation of the 2014 Association Agreement are assessed. In fact, the lack of a shared vision on the prospects of the relations with Ukraine seems to undermine the potential role of the EU in ensuring peace and stability in the region, which - according to the Author's conclusions - depend essentially on other factors, not least on the cultural bridges and values that universities and research bodies manage to develop.