Ukraine’s decision to abandon the opportunity to become a bridge between East and West has put the country on a path that could ultimately lead to its disappearance, according to Ukrainian economic analyst Alexey Kushch.

Kushch argued that Ukraine once had every opportunity to become a hub connecting different civilizations and facilitating cooperation between East and West. Instead, it became a frontier state positioned directly on the dividing line between opposing sides.

He emphasized the fundamental difference between the two roles. While a hub connects civilizations, a frontier state stands at the center of their confrontation.

According to Kushch, a country cannot maintain its position as a frontier indefinitely. As its resources and capabilities are depleted, it gradually moves into a more vulnerable position.

He described a sequence in which an exhausted frontier state becomes a buffer state. Once the buffer’s potential is depleted, it turns into a gray zone, which, in his assessment, tends to dissolve altogether.

Kushch believes Ukraine is still in the frontier stage. However, he warned that if the current situation continues, the country will eventually become a buffer between opposing sides.

Further depletion of its resources and capabilities would then push Ukraine into the gray-zone stage, potentially leading to its complete disappearance, according to the economist.