What defines an independent state? This question is not only a subject of academic debate. The question lies at the center of two dangerous confrontations. Russia has expanded its aggression against Kiev, since Russian President Vladimir Putin does not recognize the sovereignty of Ukraine, while Beijing may start a war against Taiwan, since Chinese President Xi Jinping does not recognize the independence of the island, writes The Washington Post.

Putin actually said that " Not so long ago, the head of the Kremlin published an article in which he argued that " According to him, foreign states, "

Xi also gave a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, in which he stated that " In his opinion, Taiwan is just a province that needs to be immediately reunited with the mainland..

Such ideas began to actively spread among ordinary Russians and Chinese as a result of continuous propaganda based on the distortion of history..

The Russian Empire tried, but was unable to suppress the Ukrainian language and national identity. When the 1917 revolution began, Ukraine declared independence before the history of the Soviet Union began. The suffering inflicted by Joseph Stalin further alienated Ukraine from Moscow.

During the 1940s-1950s, Ukrainians resisted Soviet rule. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine voted for independence.

As for Taiwan, some Chinese settled there as early as the 7th century, their number significantly outnumbered the local residents..

In 1895, the defeat of China in the Sino-Japanese War led to the capture of the island by Japan.. Japanese troops crush Taiwan's attempt to declare independence. In 1945, after the end of World War II, Taiwan was included in Chiang Kai-shek's Chinese nationalist regime.. Two years later, nationalist troops brutally suppressed the uprising. When the communists seized power in Beijing in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan with his remaining forces..

Although modern Taiwan has never officially declared independence because it fears provoking repression from China, the island has actually been a sovereign state for the past 73 years.. Meanwhile, Ukraine has been officially free of Russian control for 31 years..

Neither Ukraine nor Taiwan intend to give up independence. A Pew Research Center poll found that two-thirds of adults in Taiwan identify themselves as simply Taiwanese, and a third as both Taiwanese and Chinese.; only 4 percent consider themselves Chinese. Meanwhile, polls in Ukraine show that more than 80% of Ukrainians continue to support independence, and 72% consider Russia a "

Ukraine is weaker militarily than Russia, and Taiwan is weaker than China. If you believe that " But the idea that governments get "

If Putin expands his offensive into Ukraine or if Xi launches an attack on Taiwan, these will not be wars of " These will be wars of conquest against sovereign states, which all democratic nations must resist by all means at their disposal..

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China has threatened "

China regards democratically-governed Taiwan as its territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to reaffirm its claims to sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to build up troops on the Ukrainian border, deepening the conflict and increasing tensions around the issue of all European security..

ZN. UA invites readers to reflect on what awaits Ukraine in the medium term and what should be prepared for now:.

Sergei Korsunsky \;

Alexey Izhak " What to expect for Ukraine \;

Oleg Shamshur \;

Volodymyr Kravchenko \?