Quick Impressions: Western Ukraine by Klara Lindström

Photo: Klara Lindström

• Zakarpattia is a multinational, multilingual Ukrainian region with a history of shifting state affiliations. It embodies Ukraine’s European identity and refutes claims that minority rights are disregarded in the country. While Ukraine’s bilateral relations with neighbouring states such as Poland and Hungary are far from uncomplicated, cooperation functions well in Zakarpattia. People-to-people contacts and joint projects for growth and connectivity, such as making rail travel between western Ukraine and bordering EU-states smoother, are already having a tangible impact at local and regional level.
• Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing aggression , businesses and investors have turned their attention to Ukraine’s western regions. This has spurred economic growth and created opportunities, but also deepened social inequalities and raised concerns about ecological sustainability in the region, exemplified by the planned ski resort in Svydovets. And while air raids are less frequent in Zakarpattia, the war is ever present: the loss of friends and relatives, mobilisation, veterans, internally displaced people. The longer the war endures, the heavier the strain on social cohesion at grassroots level. This underscores the need for long-term planning on issues such as mobilisation policy, the reintegration of veterans, and opportunities for youth.
• Ukraine’s decentralisation reform has been effective, yet further regional reforms are required to ensure efficiency and accountability in public administration. In wartime, military administrations have gained influence at the expense of other political institutions. Enhanced inclusion of local representatives and communities – both in Ukraine’s domestic political processes and in European partnerships – can help avert conflicts of interest between regional actors and support the successful implementation of reforms. 

By Klara Lindström