Ukraine Over the Edge

December 15, 2017
Ukraine's 2013-14 revolution, its civil war, and Russia's annexation of the Crimea have been succeeded by newer crises, but political analyst Hahn (The Caucasus Emirate Mujahedin, 2014) uses detailed reportage and geopolitical theory to argue for their long-term significance, presenting Ukraine as a troubling turning point in Russo-American relations and a case study of how democratization efforts can go awry. The underlying problem is geopolitical: Ukraine, while adjacent to Russia, is culturally divided between a U.S.- and EU-oriented West and a Russia-oriented East, creating internal fault lines and an irresistible temptation for both powers to intervene. But the resulting conflict unfolds as a litany of unexamined assumptions, political posturing, and big-power entitlement, with tragic results; there are no good guys here. Hahn concludes by declaring the Russo-American stalemate a new cold war. This book will appeal primarily to readers knowledgable in international affairs, and with Russia atop American headlines to an extent not seen since the end of the Cold War, it will be a strong addition to global-studies collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)