This book draws on the authors experience from 26 years of Ukrainian diplomatic service in, among others, Bonn, Berlin, Washington, and Vienna, and his work as a speechwriter to most Ukrainian foreign ministers for the last two decades. Scherbas captivating essays reflect his views of international affairs from a Ukrainian perspective. His deliberations are presented in uncomplicated, plain language. The articles assembled here have repeatedly caused discussion in Ukraine and abroad. By his opponents, Scherba is often described as being surprisingly undiplomatic and even provocative. For instance, his article Why nationalism cant be the national idea of a European Ukraine, published on a Ukrainian nationalist website, stirred considerable controversy in Ukraine. Aside from explaining Kyivs take on some key issues of international relations, these essays provide insights into Ukrainian political thinking since the start of Russias military aggression in 2014, and into the painful political intramural fights in Ukrainian society ever since.

About the Author
Andreas Umland is Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for European Security in the Institute of International Relations at Prague, Principal Researcher of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation at Kyiv, and General Editor of the ibidem-Verlag book series Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society.

Reviews
Es ist eine klare, schnoerkellose, deutliche Sprache, der sich Scherba in seinen Texten bedient und die keinen Raum fur Interpretationen, Missverstandnisse oder gar Zweifel lasst. Ein zivilisatorisches Bollwerk gegen Putin, ein Lackmustest fur Europa. Freiheit oder Unfreiheit, Propaganda oder Wahrheit, Moral oder Gier. In der Ukraine, schreibt Scherba, geht es um uns alle. Es ist kein Buch, das sich per se an Ukraine-Kenner richtet. Vielmehr sei es ihm darum gegangen, die (west-)europaischen Wissenslucken uber das groesste Flachenland Europas zu fullen, wie er in seinem ersten Kapitel schreibt. Gegen die Mythen und Propaganda anzuschreiben, die sich so hartnackig halten.Scherba gibt Einblicke in die Komplexitat der ukrainischen Identitat, die nicht so schablonenhaft verlaufen, wie man glauben koennte oder die russische Propaganda einen glauben machen will. Scherba setzt einen rhetorischen Kontrapunkt in einer oeffentlichen Debatte, in der es immer nur darum geht, zu beschwichtigen, zu relativieren, einzuebnen. Eine Debatte, in der es auch im achten Kriegsjahr nicht gelungen ist, die Ukraine-Krise bei ihrem eigentlichen Namen zu nennen: Krieg mit Russland.Simone Brunner. In: Ukraine verstehen. 2021
It is a clear, straightforward, unambiguous language that Scherba uses in his texts and that leaves no room for interpretation, misunderstanding, or even doubt. A civilizational bulwark against Putin, a litmus test for Europe. Freedom or lack of freedom, propaganda or truth, morality or greed. Ukraine, Scherba writes, is about all of us. It is not a book aimed per se at Ukraine experts. Rather, his aim is to fill the gaps in (Western) European knowledge about Europe's largest country, as he writes in his first chapter. Scherba provides insights into the complexity of Ukrainian identity, which is not as stereotyped as one might think - or as Russian propaganda would have one believe. Scherba provides a rhetorical counterpoint in a public debate that is always about appeasing, relativizing, leveling. A debate in which, even in in the eighth year of the war, it is called the "Ukraine crisis", not by its real name: War with Russia. Simone Brunner. In: Ukraine verstehen. 2021



Book Information
ISBN 9783838215013
Author Olexander Scherba
Format Paperback
Page Count 166
Imprint ibidem-Verlag, Jessica Haunschild u Christian Schon
Publisher ibidem-Verlag, Jessica Haunschild u Christian Schon
Weight(grams) 666g