Disrupting the Narrative: Ukrainian Agency in Resisting Russia and Winning Western Support
Journal: Europe Asia Studies
Year: 2025

This article argues that Ukraine has usually been considered to be in Russia’s sphere of influence by the West. However, since the 1990s, Ukrainian society has increasingly shaped Ukrainian governments and demanded the democratisation of the country, ultimately rotating Ukraine towards a pro-Western foreign policy. This process was perceived as a threat by Russia, leading to the annexation of Crimea in 2014, a covert war in Donbas and, ultimately, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2