The creation of such a national identity does not mean the disappearance of ethnic identities.
National identity is able to unite all the elements of the ethnic structure of Ukrainian society, ethnic, cultural, religious, mental, etc. manifestations of identity that different communities have. Thus, these communities are the basis for the design of national identity, which "builds on the ethnocultural identities of the groups that make up the nation-state" [10].
For a significant part of Ukrainian researchers, it is obvious that the design of Ukrainian national identity should be understood as the creation of a common national identity common to all citizens. This is fully consistent with the civic, political concept of the state. The creation of such a national identity does not mean the disappearance of ethnic identities.
The erasure of certain ethnic identities in Ukraine as a result of assimilation or other socio-demographic processes and actions may disrupt the harmony of interethnic communication and natural polyethnicity. Yes, there is no need for local Russians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, Tatars, Jews, Greeks, etc. to begin to consider themselves ethnically Ukrainians. At the same time, the integrity of the state requires that the masses of all ethnic groups feel Ukraine as their homeland.
For a significant part of the representatives of different ethnic groups in Ukraine, it is natural to synchronize ethnic identity and national identity on the basis of citizenship, involvement and participation in the political process.
The state of interaction between national and ethnic identities is determined by whether these identities complement or "compete" on which the degree of integration of the ethnic community into society, political nation, and state directly depends. The existence of differences in identifications in a single ethno-national space within one state can produce two possible options: in the first case – to be one of the preconditions for conflict (based on antagonistic elements of identities), in the second – to be the basis of complementarity (when ethnic mosaic forms organic ethno-national).
Interaction ensures the national, political and cultural progress of the state. In other words, the self-isolation of ethnic and cultural communities (only for the purpose of their own ethnocultural reproduction in opposition to others) poses a certain threat to the integrity of the state – especially if they are transformed into a "fifth column" focused on foreign centers. For the most self-isolated community, especially if it has a conflict with the country of residence or is disloyal to its titular ethnic group, it means the loss of the opportunity to play a constructive role in the socio-political and cultural life of the country.
Naturally, the demands of Ukrainian citizens from different ethnic communities – preservation of identity, self-development and participation in the life of the country should be combined / correlated with the corresponding demands of the titular ethnic group. In this case, a solid foundation is created for the civil and political unity of the state. On the other hand, respect for ethnic identities and the right of ethnic groups to self-development facilitates the solution of one of the important tasks of Ukraine’s national security – ensuring strong ties between representatives of ethnic groups and the Ukrainian state.
The degree of integration of ethnic communities into society, the degree of harmonization of interethnic relations and understanding within a single state depend on the state and nature of interaction (complementarity) of national and ethnic identities. Thus, ethnic Ukrainians and a significant number of people of Russian, Belarusian, Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Jewish, Tatar, Greek, Armenian, etc. descent can resort to a single national identity. For people who, due to their mixed origin, cannot carry out ethnic identification, national identity, and thus the state, can become the main form of civic self-consciousness.
The formation of a holistic Ukrainian national identity does not contradict the existence of separate (ethnic, cultural, etc.) identities of ethnic groups, which, in turn, must be integrated into the all-Ukrainian identification context. Moreover, the fact that for the titular ethnos the range of satisfaction of cultural demands is wider (due to the quantitative predominance of Ukrainians) and covers both the socio-cultural and state-political level does not need further explanation.
The connection of ethnic identity with the Ukrainian national identity among Ukrainians is objectively closer (due to the existence of a common ground) than the connection of ethnic identity (Russian, Moldavian, Polish, Romanian, Armenian, etc.) with the national Ukrainian identity … Therefore, it is obvious that such components as the Ukrainian language, elements of culture, history, symbols, religious affiliation, elements of political and legal tradition, etc., on the one hand, for ethnic Ukrainians are the values of ethnic and national identity; on the other hand, for the rest of the citizens, to a greater extent, the values of national identity.
In Ukraine, primarily due to the state and political factor (rather than demographic processes), the share of people with Ukrainian self-identification is growing. In itself, this trend obviously includes the phenomenon of "remembering" some citizens about their Ukrainian origin, as well as the process of giving preference to Ukrainian identification in the case of mixed ethnic origin. Thus, according to the 2001 census [11], the share of Ukrainians increased to 77.8%; according to the 1989 census, the share of Ukrainians was about 72.7%.
However, it should be noted that the 1989 data are difficult to assess as objective [12], given the socio-political conditions of the time. According to the 2001 census, since 1989 the share of Russians (including those who recorded them) has decreased from 22.1% to 17.3%. Attention should be paid to the decrease in the share of Ukrainian citizens who self-identify with other ethnic groups (Belarusians, Moldovans, Poles, Jews, Romanians, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Tatars, etc.): 5.2% (according to the 1989 census ) and 4.9% (according to the 2001 census).
Explanations for such trends should be sought not only through the demographic and assimilation context, but, above all, through the context of intensification of ethnic and national identification processes after state self-determination of Ukraine, which includes a combination of both objective factors (real ethnic origin) and purely sub (change of self-determination).
First, the choice of Ukrainian identity is now made by ethnic Ukrainians not in the socio-political conditions under which it was made in 1989, hence the growing trend of awareness among ethnic Ukrainians of themselves as the titular who to write an lab report ethnic group of the state. Secondly, in the case of mixed ethnicity, citizens now more often choose Ukrainian identity, which is also related to the desire to belong to the titular ethnic group.
The issue of registration of the Ukrainian national identity in Ukraine should be considered in close connection with the problem of preserving the integrity of the state, society, nation, as well as in connection with the possibilities and mechanisms of influence of state institutions on ethno- national processes.
Undoubtedly, the processes of formation of national identity do not take place with optimal speed and direction, because the country lacks a positive formative participation in these processes of political institutions of the state, able to significantly influence them. At the same time, the weakness of social institutions still creates a field for negative volitional intervention (from other centers of influence) on the process of crystallization of national identity. That is why the approach to the choice of directions of such influence should be as much as possible adjusted for its favorableness for full-fledged, independent of external influences development of the Ukrainian society and the state.
All the more inappropriate is the idea of the complete non-interference of state institutions in the processes of nation-building, the crystallization of national identity, as if everything should happen by itself, through natural socio-cultural processes. Obviously, the idea of such a "natural way" is wrong in Ukrainian conditions, which is recognized by a number of domestic researchers [13]. After all, the process of nation-building is still under the influence of the inertial force inherent in the socio-political system of the previous historical period, in which there was a violent intervention of foreign state centers in ethno-national processes in Ukraine.
In this way, there is a de facto self-exclusion from the participation of a number of political institutions from the tasks set before them – the real protection of national interests. Instead, an approach that recognizes the need for interest and active participation of state mechanisms in the process of formation of the Ukrainian political nation – in the design of Ukrainian national identity, and thus the real content of the proclaimed (in the Constitution, Concept of National Security of Ukraine, other regulations) fundamental national interests.
It is important to take into account that a state that does not take care of ethnopolitical and ethnosocial processes that take place in it, risks over time to face the undesirable consequences of natural processes, and most importantly – to fall under the influence of more interested in foreign ethnopolitical problems. The main threat in this regard is separatist tendencies, which can be encouraged by external centers.
Objectively, the existence of communities oriented towards other languages / cultures can cause problems in case of antagonistic attitude to the title language, as the presence of cultural areas that run counter to political borders creates a danger of intensifying (especially from the outside) issues of rethinking political borders int. The above requires meticulous attention, which is recognized by a number of domestic researchers.
In fact, with regard to Ukraine, there is a possibility of external "stimulation" [14] of interethnic conflicts and anti-state processes (due to political, economic, informational influence, etc.) with the focus of external forces on the territorial division of Ukraine, which can certainly threaten national security.
