Turbulences Bordering Europe: the Transnistrian and Eastern Ukrainian Conflicts

Abstract

The 21st century brought relative peace for Europe, but continentally only after the 1990s, following the  Balkan wars. The mainly peaceful period after World  War II was only interrupted by smaller economic or  political disputes, however, there are two entities  lingering on the Eastern part of the region that could  possibly endanger the stability of said area. This  study is based on further scholarly studies and legal documents such as constitutions (may they be  recognised or not), official statements of states and  international organisations, reports of international  missions to the said entities and further information  retrieved from official websites of governmental bodies; it aims to examine the roots of the conflicts  of Transnistria and Eastern-Ukraine and the ways of  operation of the secessionist bodies, and finally  reaches the question of the international reaction  and actions towards them, including the continental  issues and organisational ways of Europe. The study  is built on the premise that these entities are not to  be taken as a state according to international law and as such entities they do not bare the capabilities to  build and have international relations – however, the  peacebuilding and peacekeeping activity of the  international community still bears some kind of  contact between them, which are to be concluded at  the end of this article.