This book offers a thoughtful and critical interpretation of modern Ukrainian history, helping readers better understand the lessons of the past and the prospects of state-building. The period of independence is examined within a broader historical retrospective of the last hundred years — from World War I and the liberation struggles to the evolution of the political status of the Ukrainian SSR and the development of state-centered discourse in the works of Ukrainian intellectuals.

Special attention is given to domestic political and socio-economic processes after 1990, analyzed through the lens of Ukraine’s long-term confrontation with Russia — first in diplomatic, economic, energy, and humanitarian spheres, and, since the beginning of armed aggression, also in the field of security. The study combines a detailed historical narrative with an exploration of key problematic issues related to intellectual history and the history of socio-political thought.

The publication is intended for scholars, politicians, civil servants, students, and all readers who recognize that complex questions have no simple answers.

Second edition.

Length: 560 pages. Hardcover.