Keystone in the Arch: Ukraine and the Emerging Security Environment of Central and Eastern Europe
Precious few books or articles do justice to both the core challenges facing Ukrainian foreign policy and the reasons Ukraine's success or failure in meeting them matters to the rest of Europe. Garnett's book does. He brings balance and subtlety to the core issue -- Ukraine's relationship with Russia -- treating specific conflicts in detail, but only after laying out the deeper and more basic factors at work. Rather than end at that, he goes on to explore Ukraine's relations with its remaining neighbors and to show in what fashion Ukraine will, amid this larger mosaic and despite the studied underestimation of the West, figure in the well-being and safety of the rest of the continent.
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The recent emergence of nationalist and populist forces in eastern Europe, coupled with the rise of Russia, now threatens to derail efforts toward further EU integration, weaken NATO, erode the continent's stability, and damage U.S. interests. Washington must ensure that the region's new politics do not damage the European project, for a strong and cohesive EU is in everyone's interest.
The West must open itself up to the states that Communism cleaved from Europe. Otherwise it risks undermining the values of its civilization, the very things worth sacrificing for.

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