Rakhmanova Gulnara,

Rakhmanova Amina,

Kazakhstan, Almaty

 

UKRAINIAN CRISIS

 

     Over the last few years, the European integration in Ukraine has become uppermost in the Ukraine’s primary foreign policy agenda. The accelerated transformation of the countries of the CIS in the direction of political democracy, the free market and civil society is possible only with the support and serious of the West. [1]

      Ukraine became an independent democratic state on 24 August 1991. In Ukraine since 1990 the number of repatriates has become more than the number of immigrants.  Since 1991 Ukraine has diplomatic relations with many countries of the world. In 1945 Ukraine became a member of the UN; later, organizations such as UNESCO, the International Labor Organization and other Missions of Ukraine set up by United Nations were established in Vienna, Paris, Geneva and New York. In 1948, Ukraine was for the first time a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Since 1991 Ukraine became a member state of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on 31 January 1992. Since 1992 Ukraine has made a significant contribution to peacekeeping operations. Having condemned the bombing of Yugoslavia in the spring of 1999 as an act of terrorism, Ukraine offered to mediate on resolving the conflict in the Balkans.  Since 2002, Ukraine has established a partnership plan and friendly close relations with NATO.  According to Derek Fraser, the West has a strong interest in seeing Ukraine succeed in its reforms – the fate of democracy and free market in this part of Europe is a stake. [2]

     The European Union (EU) recognized Ukrainian independence in December 1991 officially. In many cases, it is extremely difficult at first to integrate in a new society. European Union’s Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) of 1994 toward Ukraine is a legal foundation of relations between Ukraine and the European Union, which entered into force in 1998 and operated until 2008. This agreement laid the basis of cooperation on a wide range of political, economic, trade and humanitarian matters. These issues were carried out within the framework of the annual meeting and consultations of ministers and leaders of Ukraine and the European Union.

     The EU Common Strategy toward Ukraine issued at the EU Summit in December 1999 in Helsinki. On 14 and 15 May, 1999, at the meeting of the Presidents of Central Europe, Leonid Kuchma declared that Ukraine has close ties with the EU and would go on "European" way. [3]

     Marc Maresceau wrote: “President Kuchma appears already to live with the idea that the target date of 2011 for Ukraine’s EU accession cannot be met… Nevertheless the feeling of frustration about the EU position on negotiations related to an agreement preparation on the deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA) as a part of the Association Agreement.” [4]

     Since 2009 relations between Ukraine and the European Union are developing within the framework of the EU initiatives called "Eastern Partnership". The main objective the  is to create the necessary conditions for acceleration of political and economic integration between the European Union and the contracting parties, to promote political, social and economic reforms for "Eastern Partnership" countries. The main priorities of the reforms for the partner provisions and their cooperation with the EU are identified in the sphere of democracy, ensuring stability and security, economic integration, convergence with economic sector policies of the EU including the establishment of free trade zones, energy security and visa liberalization (strengthening the migration policy). 

     The protocol on basic contracting principles of the EU programs was signed at the summit "Ukraine - EU" in November 2010, which permitted the representatives of Ukraine to be observers in the EU programs, as well as members  of the governing committees of those programs where Ukraine will maintain financial support. However, the arrest of Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in August 2011, and a verdict of that case provoked a negative unambiguous reaction both the EU and the USA. The text of the new document was finalized in November 2011, due to the complicated relations between the EU and Ukraine its signing was postponed several times, wherein the European Union has imposed preliminary requirements to the Ukrainian leadership.

     The Association Agreement was initialed by the delegations of Ukraine and the EU on 30 March 2012 and the deep and comprehensive free-trade area agreement (DCFTA) was signed on 19 July, 2012. In July 2012, Ukraine and the EU agreed to amend or complete the agreement on simplification of visa regime. Despite the Ukrainian situation, on 10 December, 2012, the Council of Foreign Affairs of the EU approved some conclusions regarding Ukraine, in which he expressed willingness to sign an Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU at the summit of "Eastern Partnership" in Vilnius in November 2013, on conditions that decisive actions and tangible progress should be demonstrated by Ukraine in reforming the electoral legislation, selective justice matters and prolongation of reform.

     In 2013 Ukraine was granted the status of an observer in the European Economic Community (Common Market). In April 2013, the Ukrainian government and the European Parliament ratified that agreement. Notwithstanding, according to Ukrainian media, that is not used even by 0.5% of the population.

On 17 September, 2013 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the draft of Association Agreement with the European Union unanimously. 

     On October 23, 2013 the European Parliament adopted a resolution relating to the Association Agreement with Ukraine, signed and endorsed its partial application without ratification, having requested implementation of defined criteria. The signing of the Association Agreement was scheduled to be implemented at the summit of "Eastern Partnership" in November 2013; however, the preparation process for concluding an Association Agreement has been suspended by Ukrainian government’s initiative due to the political crisis.

     “Negotiations to association will be suspended until the issue is not resolved which may occur from the reduction of trade with Russia and other CIS countries in case of signing the agreement. Otherwise, Ukraine's economy can be seriously hurt and it will have a bad effect on living standards of population.” [5]

     Ukrainian government has declared repeatedly that European integration is esteemed and considered as a priority of foreign policy of Ukraine. Nevertheless, the European Union prefers to speak about the possible European Integration with Ukraine in general terms.

     In many cases, it is extremely difficult at first to integrate in a new society. The European Union is able to offer Ukraine, considering its unavailability for membership, a political association and economic integration.

     The EU insists on the peaceful settlement of the crisis. In his statement the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said: “The EU is ready to engage in dialogue with all the Contracting Parties to achieve this objective.” [6]

     The participants would consider how to provide additional support to the current government in Kiev. The European Commission announced a plan of assistance to Ukraine providing it with the approximate dimension of 11 billion Euros. The allocation of 10 to 11 billion Euros will be rigidly linked to the fulfillment of all the requirements of the International Monetary Fund to Kiev. These facts underscored the necessity of implementation of an agreement with Kiev dated on 21 February 2014, as it has been said, which was signed by the leading countries of the EU.  The participants would consider how to provide the current government in Kiev with additional support. The European Commission announced a plan of assistance to Ukraine providing it with the approximate dimension of 11 billion Euros. The allocation of 10 to 11 billion Euros will be rigidly linked to the fulfillment of all the requirements of International Monetary Fund to Kiev. These facts underscored the necessity of implementation of an agreement with Kiev dated 21 February 2014, which was signed by the leading countries of the EU. 

     The Senate of the USA approved a bill of assistance for Ukraine and sanctions against those people who were responsible for violation the country’s sovereignty. The bill included a reform which permitted increasing the fund resources on expansion of Ukrainian fraction.    

     Sheimas Milne, a Guardian columnist, who blamed the West for the Ukrainian crisis and advocated Russian government’s action of self-defence, has published his article recently in the newspaper “The Guardian”. According to Sheimas Milne the government of the Russian Federation could not simply ignore the threat from the neighbour country, and mostly the Ukrainian crisis had been provoked by the attempt of the West to draw Ukraine into its orbit. [7]

     A series of articles of Edward Lucas received a wide resonance in the West.  Lucas, a British political analyst, an international editor of the weekly journal “Economist”, is the author of the best-selling book “The New Cold War: Putin’s Russia and the threat of the West”. His last article has a title “How the West lost Ukraine towards Putin”. Edward Lucas commented the situation in Ukraine as a prominent expert on Russia and Ukraine.

     In conclusion we can say that Ukraine has experienced a post imperial syndrome, and now it will build a modern country by European patterns.  Some people hold the view that there are both pros and cons of that and it is argued whether it is a real indicator to the exit from the crisis.

     

Bibliography

 

1. Derek Fraser. (2008), ‘How the West might support Ukraine’, Taking Ukraine seriously. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. P.168. 

2. Fraser: Taking Ukraine seriously, p.171

3. http://www.focus.ua/politics/287386, accessed on 28 Oct, 2014.

4. Marc Maresceau, (2004), ‘EU enlargement and EU Common Strategies on Russia and Ukraine: An Ambiguous Yet Unavoidable Connection’, EU enlargement: A Legal Approach. Oxford: Oxford and Portland Oregon. P.207.

5. www.consilium.europa.eu/.../en/.../142580, accessed on 13 May 2014.

6.  http://www.rbcdaily.ru/world/562949990855742, accessed on 16 March 2014.

7.  http://www.top.rbc.ru/politics/16/03/2014/911367.shtml, accessed on 16 March 2014.