Almanac of law. Issue 17 (2026), pages 226–232.

DOI: 10.33663/2524-017X-2026-17-226-232

Yavir V. A.
The Constitutional Dimension of the State’s Foreign Ethnopolicy

The constitutional dimension of a state’s foreign ethnopolicy is examined, in particular the foundations of its formation by contemporary states, which are primarily based on constitutional provisions that, in turn, reflect the principal objectives, challenges, and interests of the state in the ethnopolitical sphere. It is proposed to conceptualize the constitutionalization of the principles of a state’s foreign ethnopolicy, inter alia, as a process of enshrining fundamental ethnopolitical values, principles, and interests in the constitution, thereby transforming them into binding foundations of national state-building. It is argued that, in the context of post-war constitutional modernization in Ukraine, the study of comparative experiences of constitutional responses to ethnoterritorial changes and challenges in other disintegrated states during the formation of their foreign ethnopolicy frameworks may prove instructive.

An analysis of interactions in the conflicts involving Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Republic of Cyprus, and the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus made it possible to identify a consistent pattern: a state that has lost territory as a result of an ethnopolitical conflict, secession, annexation, or occupation seeks to safeguard its sovereignty and restore its territorial integrity and therefore refrains from constitutionalizing territorial losses. By contrast, a state that has seized territory, or a self-proclaimed entity established on such territory, tends to formalize its territorial gains in the constitution as swiftly as possible, thereby attempting to legitimize their incorporation.

Global practice in the interaction of disintegrated states far less frequently reflects the opposite approach - namely, the constitutionalization of the consequences of disintegration and the delineation of pathways for overcoming it within constitutional legislation. This is обусловлено by the fact that each instance of ethnopolitical disintegration and integration is inherently unique, which calls into question the feasibility of developing a universal algorithm for state reintegration.

In the context of post-war constitutional modernization aimed at preserving Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the example of Azerbaijan appears particularly instructive. Azerbaijan categorically refused to constitutionalize territorial losses at the outset of the conflict and, throughout its duration, consistently affirmed the unity and inviolability of the state’s territorial integrity, strengthening its geopolitical position until a historical opportunity emerged in the form of weakened Russian support for Armenia, enabling it to restore territory previously lost as a result of external intervention. Furthermore, the stability and continuity of the Constitution of Ukraine during wartime and in the post-war settlement period would contribute to the unity of the Ukrainian nation, signaling sustained support for and connection with Ukrainians who remain in territories occupied by Russia.

Keywords: foreign ethnopolicy, ethnopolicy, constitutionalization, disintegration, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cyprus, South Korea, North Korea.

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Дата першого надходження рукопису до видання: 28.02.2026
Дата прийнятого до друку рукопису після рецензування: 09.04.2026
Дата публікації: 30.04.2026