Irredentism of Hungary, Poland and Romania in Western Ukraine in the Context of Language Policy of Kyiv

Abstract

In the severe political and economic conditions that have developed in Ukraine, fears of the policies of irredentism of neighbouring states are becoming increasingly realistic. The problem of the separation of territories and in some cases of their transfer to neighbouring states arose in Ukraine in 2014 after the Russian rejoin of the Crimea and the beginning of the crisis in the eastern part of the country. Today, special attention attracts the situation in the Donbas region, and almost no one addresses the potential problem of the same kind happening in western regions. This article attempts to identify the main goals of Ukraine’s western neighbours (Hungary, Romania, and Poland) concerning Ukraine and the humanitarian instruments of influence they use to achieve these goals. The methodology of the study has determined the structure of the article, which includes a comparative analysis of the goals and methods of the cultural and linguistic influence these states have on the population of the neighbouring territory (i.e. national minorities). Cultural and linguistic influence in this context means the cultivation of national minority languages within a limited area of their residence through education, mass media, and the organisation of programs to promote the development of cultural relations. Based on the above methodology and statistical and analytical material, the author concludes that Hungary, Romania and Poland, using similar tools to influence their national minorities, pursue different goals. Both the methods of influence and the tasks of these states I discussed in detail. Besides, one of the main conclusions drawn from the results of my study is that Hungarian, Polish and Romanian irredentism is indeed a severe risk today and deserves special attention from Ukraine.