Ukrainian-Romanian diplomatic and economic relations in the context of the Bessarabian question in 1918

Abstract

The article focuses on the nature and specificity of diplomatic and trade-economic relations between Ukrainian State and Romania in the context of territorial conflict following the Bessarabian question. The author examines the influence of the Bessarabian crisis on the development of trade and economic relations between the two countries, diplomatic interaction between the states in the context of mutual territorial claims in 1918, and pays attention to the attemps to compromise. Both Romania and Ukraine laid their claims on Bessarabian territories, which caused diplomatic conflicts, deepened by different vectors of their foreign policy. In 1918, due to a number of internal and external political reasons, Bessarabia did not have an opportunity to defend its interests. Being in a difficult political situation, both countries tried to establish diplomatic relations. Many endeavors, especially in trade and economic cooperation and regulation of the legal status of state property located on foreign territory, had real prospects to be mutually successful. However, both governments lacked the political will to recognize the right of the Bessarabian people to determine their future in an independent and democratic way. The authors believe that such recognition in the given historical context would be the only productive decision, which would eliminate mutual claims and complications without political manipulations in relations between Ukraine and Romania in the subsequent years.