"The Ukrainian crisis presented the gravest threat to peace and stability in Europe since the Second World War. The crisis attracted much international attention, yet little is known about how and why the EU and Russia ended up 'competing' over Ukraine. The authors unravel the deeper origins of the crisis by adopting a long-term perspective to the 'integration offers' presented to Ukraine by Russia and the EU and the choices made by Ukraine's leaders. They analyse these choices showing the key role of Ukraine's political regime in interpreting and balancing between the offers made to Ukraine. The book provides a succinct and accessible study of the complex background and multiple dimensions of the crisis, while also dispelling prevailing oversimplifications and misinterpretations. It explores the key implications of the crisis for Ukraine's interactions with the EU and Russia"-- Provided by publisher.

Machine generated contents note: -- Acknowledgments -- List of Abbreviations and Acronyms -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Ukraine and Russia: Managing Interdependence -- 3. Ukraine and Europe: Integration by Demand -- 4. The EU and the Yanukovych Regime: The Widening Gap -- 5. Russia's New Integration Offer: Forcing Ukraine's Hand -- 6. Yanukovych, the EU and Russia: The End of Balancing -- 7. The Military Backlash -- 8. The Association Agreement: Trilateralisation Amidst War -- 9. Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Index.