Transcarpathian Region Issue in Relations between the Countries of the Visegrad Group and Ukraine in the Late XX - Early XXI Centuries

Abstract

The question of the impact of socio-economic and ethnic development of Transcarpathian region on relations between Ukraine and neighboring countries of the Visegrad group in the late XX - early XXI centuries is considered. The relevance of the study of this plot is due to the geographical and historical-cultural specifics of the Transcarpathian region. It is shown that its diverse ethnic and linguistic map was in the focus of attention of a number of states - Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, etc. in the period under review, both in the context of addressing the integration of the region into the economic and transport and logistics infrastructure of the large Carpathian macroregion, and periodically escalating relations between representatives of national minorities - supporters of Transcarpathian autonomy and adherents of the unitary model of Ukrainian statehood. The author pays special attention to the influence of these aspects on the eastern direction of the foreign policy of the Visegrad countries in relation to Ukraine, in particular, in connection with the implementation of the EU “Eastern Partnership” initiative. It is concluded that the most acute and negatively affecting the development of interstate cooperation between Ukraine and the neighboring countries of the Visegrad Four turned out to be the status and position of national minorities, especially the Hungarian one, which enjoys active support from Budapest. The policy of Kiev, aimed at strengthening the position of the Ukrainian language to the detriment of the languages of national minorities, caused an increase in tension in relations with Hungary, which was aggravated by the lack of an effective program of socio-economic development of the region based on interested external partners.

Keywords

• hungarians
• visegrád group
• national minorities
• rusyns
• ukraine
• language policy