The Tragedy of Ukraine: Hard Lessons to Learn from the Classics
“The Tragedy of Ukraine: Hard Lessons to Learn From Classics,” Russia in Global Affairs, vol. 16, № 4 October/December 2018, pp. 52-71. DOI: 10.31278/2618-9844-2018-16-4-52-71
20 Pages Posted: 3 Apr 2019
Date Written: December 2018
Abstract
As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, it remains mired in debt, corruption, and strife. The country seems to be caught up, again, in a vicious cycle that has been repeating itself for decades, if not centuries. Classical Greek tragedy gives us a deeper look at the reasons behind Ukraine’s persistent failure to achieve social stability, and to suggest remedies. The tragic cycle can be broken through a compromise in which individual, social and divine aspirations for justice are reconciled. As long as Ukrainian leaders seek to achieve justice without compromise, the nation’s self-destructive cycle is likely to persist.
Keywords: Ukraine, Russian-Ukrainian relations, Maidan, Greek tragedy, Donbass, Russophone Ukrainians
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