This commentary seeks to examine the nature of the causes of the conflict in Ukraine, particularly in relation to the country’s geographic and geopolitical position and the tendencies toward separatism that this position breeds. The commentary then explores the various positions of the main actors involved in the conflict, including Ukraine, Russia, the separatist forces in Donbas, and the West. The commentary concludes with a consideration of the outlook for the conflict, which will be shaped by the divergent positions of these actors and geopolitical constraints on both the military and diplomatic levels.

Keywords: Ukraine, Russia, Geopolitics of Separatism, Identity