Ukraine at center of power struggle

Meanwhile, residents in Ukraine's western region, due to its historical bonds with Europe, are more inclined to closer ties with the European Union and the US.

Such different identities between the east and west of the country threaten to divide Ukraine in two, especially after increased interventions from Russia, the US and EU into its internal affairs.

The lack of a unified national identity among its different ethnic groups and the development of a "democratic movement" in the absence of some institutional constraints has contributed to the widespread protests and will possibly result in the disintegration of Ukraine. The exposed provocations of extremist forces during the protests and violence has tainted the democracy movements and complicated the whole crisis.

However, from Canada's handling of its Quebec issue and Russia's holding-on to its Chechnya, no country has ventured to adopt a regional referendum to decide the fate of a part of its territory.

The situation in Ukraine at present leaves little room for optimism. Russia's military strike against Georgia in 2008 seems to indicate that it will not tolerate the establishment of a pro-Western government in Ukraine. The US and EU may choose to impose sanctions on Russia and try to isolate it under the pretext that Moscow is trampling over international law, but the US and NATO lack the necessary military means to contain Russia.

Besieged by numerous internal and external problems and with unrestrained interventions from outside forces, Ukraine now faces the rising possibility of partition and regional separation.

The author is a researcher with the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC.