The American Diplomacy Position Towards Ukrainian Statehood (1917-1918)

Abstract

The article highlights the position of representatives of the U. S. diplomatic corps and American organizations in Russia regarding the Ukrainian statehood from November 20, 1917, when the Ukrainian People’s Republic was proclaimed, to December 14, 1918, when the Ukrainian State headed by Hetman P. Skoropadsky ceased to exist.

The author analyzes the American diplomacy position towards development of state-building processes in Ukraine in the fall and winter of 1917. The main problems that concerned American diplomats were the formation of a separate Ukrainian army capable of resisting the German-Austrian troops, the level of Central Powers influence on the General Secretariat and the Ukrainian Central Rada, the possibility of Ukraine’s separation from Russia and independence declaration of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR). The issue of cooperation between the Cossack Don and Ukraine to resist German-Austrian influences was discussed. Some diplomatic corps representatives made proposals for the United States to recognize the UNR, but they did not find support in the Department of State. The weak level of diplomatic representation necessitated the opening of U.S. consulate in Kyiv, which worked before the German-Austrian occupation of Ukraine.

The Brest Peace Treaty of the UNR with the Central Powers changed the American diplomacy position towards Ukrainian statehood to a negative one. The occupation by the Central Powers was seen as the transformation of Ukraine into a German semi-colony. The establishment of Hetman power and the proclamation of the Ukrainian State caused concern due to the risk of Germany using Ukraine to spread its influence over Russia. United States diplomats monitored the resolving of the ‘Crimean’ issue and peace negotiations between the Ukrainian State and Soviet Russia.

The Central Powers defeats on the Great War fronts in the fall of 1918 led to the beginning of contacts between representatives of the Hetman government with the Entente Powers and the United States. The Ukrainian State was perceived as a reliable partner in the struggle against Bolshevik expansion until its fall in December 1918.