Why the Ukraine Crisis Should Be a Concern, As We Mark the Centenary of WWI

Protesters have turned out in Kiev, opposed to their president moving toward alignment with Russia. Ukraine, a former Soviet state is deeply divided over its political future, and remains a major concern for Europe. Of course, there are economic reasons – much of the gas supplied by Russia to Europe traveling through the country. But Ukraine also represents strong political divisions lingering in the continent. Central European nations endured repeated divisions during the 20th century that added to political polarization, explains Ailish O’Hora for Irish Independent. “Central European wounds still run very deep” since World War I, which began in in July 1914, and “smaller tensions continue to brew under the surface,” O’Hora notes. Diplomacy and economic integration could curtail the rise of extremism in Ukraine and elsewhere throughout Europe. The international community, including Russia, Europe and the United States, should not overlook their reliance on one another for resolving pressing foreign-policy challenges, including conflict in Syria and nuclear development in Iran. – YaleGlobal