statehood

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The property of being a state, an autonomous subdivision of a federal country.

   “Alaska didn't attain statehood until 1959, when it became the 49th state of the United States.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The condition of being a country.

   “Medvedev cited these supposed “Western analysts” in order to propagate Russia’s colonial fantasy: envisioning Ukraine’s territory reduced to just the Kyiv region, while the remainder of Ukraine would be divided among Russia, Poland, Romania, and Hungary. Such a narrative recalls Putin’s February 2022 speech questioning Ukraine’s statehood and accompanies intensifying Russian calls to expand its “special military operation” to realize its imperial map.”