Diplomacy in the Conditions of Revolution: The Ukrainian–Bulgarian Dialogue, 1917–1918

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria in the context of revolutionary transformations and political instability in 1917–1918. The focus is placed on the formation of the Ukrainian–Bulgarian diplomatic dialogue during the period of the establishment of Ukrainian statehood, which unfolded against the background of the First World War, the collapse of empires, and the intensification of national liberation movements in Eastern Europe. The political preconditions for establishing official contacts between the governments of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and Bulgaria are analyzed, and the main directions of their interaction are identified.

Particular attention is paid to the activities of Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Sofia and to the role of the Bulgarian side in supporting the political and economic initiatives of the young Ukrainian state. The mechanisms of diplomatic communication, the specific features of the negotiation process, and the significance of interstate agreements concluded during this period are examined. The influence of the international environment and geopolitical factors on the development of Ukrainian–Bulgarian relations is analyzed, including the consequences of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty, shifts in the balance of power in the region, and the transformation of the foreign policy priorities of both states.

Particular attention is given to the role of diplomacy as an instrument for legitimizing Ukrainian statehood in the international arena. The activities of Ukrainian diplomats aimed at obtaining political support, developing economic ties, and forming a positive image of Ukraine in Bulgaria are examined. It is shown that despite difficult domestic political conditions, changes of government, and military-political pressure from external forces, the Ukrainian–Bulgarian dialogue played an important role in the system of foreign policy contacts of the Ukrainian People’s Republic.

Based on the analysis of historical sources and scholarly literature, the article concludes that diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria in 1917–1918 became an important element in the process of the international recognition of Ukrainian statehood and contributed to the development of political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries. The results obtained make it possible to gain a deeper understanding of the functioning of diplomacy under conditions of revolutionary change and the formation of new states in Central and Eastern Europe in the early twentieth century.