THE RUSSIAN - UKRAINIAN WAR AND THE STRENGTHENING OF IRREDENTIST NARRATIVE IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY

Abstract

This article will analyze the reasons for the intensification of irredentist rhetoric in Central and Easter Europe, including those caused by the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Through the prism of different approaches, the essence of irredentism is revealed, and its transformation is shown depending on changes in the system of international relations, from the idea of national unification to an instrument of expansion. At the present stage, irredentism is expansionist in nature, due to the implementation of the Russian Federation's aggressive policy towards Ukraine. The authors analyze the ideological justification of the irredentist policy of the Russian Federation, which is carried out, among other things, under such irredentist slogans as “one nation”, “protection of compatriots”, “restoration of historical justice”. The indecision and inconsistency of international organizations in condemning the actions of the aggressor state, in particular, the occupation of Crimea in 2014, contribute to the intensification of irredentist rhetoric in Central and Eastern Europe. The article analyzes the statements of Romanian and Hungarian politicians, which show the presence of irredentist slogans regarding the territory of Ukraine. The irredentist component is contained in the programs of the right-wing radical political parties Greater Romania, Fidesz, and Jobbik (For a Better Hungary). Several explanations are given for the reasons for the actualization of irredentist rhetoric, which, despite international law norms regarding the inviolability of state borders, persists in political discourse. Among the reasons identified are the popularity of the idea of a “Great State” and the strengthening of populism against the backdrop of the identity crisis in Central and Eastern Europe, which is driven by fears of losing sovereignty and traditional values in the context of European integration processes. Finally, the authors emphasize the weak reaction of the world to the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation as a significant contributing factor.