This thesis investigates the development of the largest sites - megasites - in Europe during the Chalcolithic (4th millennium BC) and seeks to discuss their urban nature within the wider settlement context of the Trypillia group in modern Ukraine. The study brings together a number of different archaeological datasets and sources, including remote sensing, field survey and legacy data, into a single GIS-based interpretative framework. The assessment of the potential of these sources of information is carried out in order to establish a new field methodology, as well as a nuanced theoretical framework, for the study of the nature of megasites. Quantitative analyses are performed in order to describe trans-scalar patterns in the settlement data, and an interpretative narrative is proposed to explain these patterns and their relevance for the definition of the ‘urban’ nature of megasites. Concepts like ‘seasonality’ and ‘heterarchy’ are used to explain the development and the social organization of megasites, which are conceived as temporary gathering places where an ‘urban-like’ identity starts to develop. The results suggest that Trypillia megasites can be defined as ‘urban forms’ within their coeval settlement and social context, but in the long-term perspective of the last six millennia they are “only” large/overgrown villages. The contribution of this thesis is not only to the specific field of Trypillia archaeology, but it also provides new insights into the wider investigation of the origins of global urbanism.

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La Politique européenne de voisinage (PEV) a été conçue pour promouvoir la prospérité, la stabilité et la sécurité dans les régions voisines de l'UE. L'analyse de cette politique dans le cadre du développement des relations entre l'Ukraine et l'UE, ainsi que dans le contexte de l'évolution d'une dynamique intra-régionale du Partenariat oriental, a conduit à l'identification d'une série de lacunes de nature différente, concernant à la fois les failles institutionnelles de la PEV et les incertitudes pesant sur ses perspectives finales vis-à-vis de l'Ukraine. En outre, la PEV a montré la limite de ses capacités à faire face aux défis sécuritaires lors de la crise en Crimée. Elle a également démontré les limites de sa stratégie géopolitique dans le cadre des relations entre la Russie, l'Ukraine et l'UE, de même qu'elle a révélé son incapacité à prévenir les risques potentiels qu'entraînerait l'Accord d'association Ukraine-UE pour l'Ukraine. / The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was originally designed to promote prosperity, stability and security in the European Union's neighbouring regions. The analysis of this policy within the framework of the relations between Ukraine and the EU and in the context of the evolution of the intraregional dynamics of the Eastern Partnership and of the external policy of the Union did however reveal a number of inherent flaws. In addition to the policy's deficiencies relating to both institutional failings and to the uncertainty regarding the final perspective of this process for Ukraine, the ENP also turned out to be insufficient when faced with the security challenges of the Crimean Crisis. It has demonstrated its limitations concerning the EU's geopolitical strategy within the framework of the relations between Russia, Ukraine and the EU and was shown to be unable to prevent potential risks arising from the European Union's Association Agreement with Ukraine.