ABSTRACT
Ukraine is the third largest and second most populous of the states of the FSU, located between the newly independent states of Central Europe and the Russian Federation, Ukraine has a unique role to play in future European stability. Western Ukraine is the centre of nationalism and of support for the Ukrainian popular front, Rukh. Apart from the westeast split between Ukrainians and Russians, and between the Uniate Church and the Orthodox Church, the other major internal conflict has been over the Ukrainian autonomous republic of Crimea. The other major nuclear issue, and that for which Ukraine commonly known was Chernobyl the site of the world's worst civilian nuclear disaster in 1986. In July 1998, Ukraine signed a co-operation charter with NATO with the establishment of a NATOUkraine Commission which gives Ukraine direct access to NATO in the event of any external threat. At the same time, it has developed Black Sea initiatives, a good relationship with Turkey.
