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Ukraine's Dangerous Independence

Mar 10, 2022

Serhii Plokhii, a historian at Harvard and director of the Ukrainian Research Institute, passionately discusses the unique formation of Ukrainian identity. He debunks the notion proposed by Putin that Ukrainians lack a distinct identity, highlighting the intertwined but unique histories of Ukraine and Russia. The conversation navigates crucial moments like the Cossack resistance and the impact of events such as the Holodomor, framing Ukraine's struggle for independence as a powerful narrative of resilience against geopolitical tensions.

43:40

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Episode guests

Serhii Plokhy

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Identity and History in Ukraine's Struggle

4min

The Geopolitical Roots of Ukraine's Identity

3min

Cossacks and Ukrainian Identity

13min

Turmoil and Uprising: Ukraine's Struggle for Freedom

3min

Ukraine's Complex Path to Independence

10min

The Struggle for Ukrainian Independence Amid Cold War Skepticism

3min

The Complexity of Sovereignty and Conflict in Ukraine

5min

Emotional Responses and Cultural Ties Amid Conflict

3min

Months before Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, he published an essay on the Kremlin website called "On The Historical Unity of Russia and Ukraine." In it, he suggested that Ukrainians don't really have their own identity — and that they never have. Historian Serhii Plokhii says that couldn't be further from the truth. The histories of the two countries are deeply intertwined, but Ukrainian identity is unique. Today, we explore that identity: how it formed, its relationship to Russia, and how it helps us understand what's happening now.

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