Ukraine between Europe and Russia and the return of geopolitics
Journal: The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong)
Year: 2014

The Velvet Revolutions of 1989 accelerated the European project both in its intensity and scope. Almost the entire continent was to be united in its pursuit of liberty and the rule of law. The high point of soft-power Europe may have been reached in May 2004, when ten new countries were admitted as full EU members. Later that year, Ukraine experienced its Orange revolution, which promised Ukrainians a return to Europe, emulating in form and objectives the success of their Central European neighb