While much of the analysis of the crisis in Ukraine is in terms of a confrontation between Russia and the West, this can obscure the fact that the conflict there does arise from a deep division among the Ukrainian people on the central question of whether they should move closer to the European Union or closer to Russia.
A recent survey reveals that there is not a majority position about what Ukraine should do. While more favor moving closer to the EU than favor moving closer to Russia, less than half – 47 percent – favor moving toward the EU. Just 13 percent favor moving closer to Russia. The rest do not want to move in either direction.