The Right of Nations to Self-Determination: Woodrow Wilson's Concept and the Historical and Legal Reality in Eastern Europe of the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Ivanova Anastasiia 
Published: December 2024

The author deals with the history of formation and essence of the right of nations (peoples) to self-determination as a fundamental principle of international and constitutional law and as a phenomenon of political and legal life, and also examines the historical features of its application in the proclaimed national republics of the interwar period, namely Lithuania and Ukraine.
Considering the right of peoples to self-determination as a fundamental principle of constitutional and international law, the author summarises that for Woodrow Wilson it was primarily about the protection of national minorities and ethnic groups, not by external protection, but by empowering them to protect themselves through internal mechanisms of democratic self-government. This is a very specific political tool and an eﬀective way of eliminating the most conflict-generating factor for post- war peace in Europe and the world.

The author also points out another extremely important unspoken principle necessary for the realisation of the right to self-determination, namely the vitality of the state. Thus, reports and recommendations have repeatedly stated that Ukraine must demonstrate its own viability in order to be a fully-fledged political entity in the resolution of territorial issues.

The author also examines the diﬀerent interpretations of the right of peoples to self-determination by diﬀerent political governments in Lithuania and Ukraine. The principle laid down in Wilson's 14 points was applied in the Ukrainian People's Republic as a development of the idea of self-government of national minorities. The people of Ukraine were recognised by the government of the Central Rada as citizens of the Ukrainian People's Republic as a whole.

The Bolsheviks had their own interpretation, which nominally recognised the right of Ukrainians to self-determination, but which meant that this right could only be realised by the Bolsheviks themselves, or by those who accepted their programme, eﬀectively denying the Ukrainians the right to self-determination and recognition.

Comparing the realisation of the right to self-determination in inter-war Lithuania, the author's own interpretation of the right of peoples to self-determination in relation to the Republic of Lithuania was the same as that of occupying Germany, which consisted in recognising the independent Lithuanian state only as a state linked to the German Reich by ties and conventions of a strong and permanent alliance and agreements, especially in the military, transport, peacekeeping and energy sectors, as well as the fulfilment of the above-mentioned conditions.

The right of nations to self-determination, as well as other political and legal instruments aimed at the independent political life of nationalities, ranging from the free expression of will to sovereignty itself, have been subjected to considerable pressures and tests in attempts to achieve other than immanent goals, especially in attempts to legalise the policy of expansionism. The search for the protection of legal and political instruments and mechanisms from political manipulation seems to be a promising area for further research.

Key words: right to self-determination, self-government, sovereignty, Lithuania, Ukraine.