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Russia List: Why Putin needs Ukraine
Russia’s conversion took place in the medieval principality of Kyivan Rus, the state that later gave rise to the Russian Empire and today’s Russian and Ukrainian states. Today, engaging the rhetoric of the common historical and cultural background of the two countries, Moscow is seeking to economically integrate Ukraine with Russia by joining a Kremlin-sponsored customs union and a broader Eurasian Union of former Soviet states. Ukraine, meanwhile, is facing a critical choice between East and West that could shape its domestic and foreign policy for years to come. In November, it plans to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union at a summit in Vilnius, an act that would grant it trade preferences with Europe and, the Kremlin insists, preclude membership in Russia’s customs zone.