States and nations compared. The case of Kosovo and Ukraine versus global politics
Porównanie państw i narodów. Sprawy Kosowa i Ukrainy w polityce światowej

Summary/Abstract: The 2008 proclamation of Kosovo’s independence, quickly recognized by many statesincluding almost every single one of the western world, showed that a respectedinternational legality does not exist anymore. In fact, in the eyes of the so-called“international community” Kosovo’s secession, pursued by the Albanian majoritydespite the resistance of the local Serbian nationality (including Belgrade’s government’sefforts against it) and the minority ethnic groups (Goranis, Roma) is a faitaccompli that the community itself supported. However, Kosovo’s case is to beinterpreted as a dangerous precedent that can endanger the territorial integrity of manystates with national minorities aspiring to secession. This happened despite the existenceof international law that does not allow unilateral acts of territorial secession, but onlythe eventuality of commonly agreed political separations. Examples of this kind could bethe attempted secession of the eastern regions from the Ukrainian state, and thesuccessful secession of Crimea from Kiev (that was successful also due to Russia’ssupport). Such initiatives were supported by Russia and opposed by the West, with aninversion of roles completely opposite to Kosovo’s case, that could be described as theother side of the same coin – with roles reversed – compared to the Ukrainian crisis: inKosovo it was the West (the USA and most of the EU) that considered favorably – if notactually supported – the Albanian secession from Belgrade, while on the other handRussia has presented itself in the role of the guardian of international legality whilesupporting the legitimacy of Serbia’s sovereignty rights over Kosovo.

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