Hazin V. The Ukrainian State in the Field of Geopolitical Interests of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Muscovy and Crimea in 1654-1667. ё

The given dissertation, based on the analysis of sources and literature, examines the policy of the Ukrainian Hetmanate on provision of national interests and preservation of sovereignty under the conditions when the Ukrainian state was at the epicenter of the confrontation for domination in the region of East-Central Europe in 1654-1667, where the main rivals were the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Muscovite state and the Crimean Khanate. The analysis of sources and literature on the topic of the study gave rise to claim that the Ukrainian state that emerged in the middle of the XVII century as a result of revolutionary events, due to its geographical location, economic and militaristic potentials, became an influential subject of interstate relations in East-Central Europe. On the other hand, the very formation of the state occurred in the conditions of intense struggle for regional primacy, influenced by external factors that threatened its sovereignty. Ukraine in the 50's of the XVII century was such a "golden apple", the possession of which secured a decisive advantage over the opponents. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Muscovite state and the Crimean Khanate under the protection of the mighty Ottoman Empire were trying to take advantage of the given situation.