When Ukraine's voters go to the polls on Sunday, not only the fate of their country will be at stake; so will the future of a significant part of Europe.
To put it simply: The future of Ukraine will decide the future of Russia, and the future of Russia will have a substantial impact on the future of Europe.
When the Soviet Union collapsed more than two decades ago, and Ukraine opted for independence, many expected the country to do better than Russia in the years to come. But events turned out differently.