Comments on: Always a marriage of convenience in Ukraine?

By: Andrey

Andrey — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:36:47 +0000

Can not agree more with Oleg Polischuk. I believe, it’s a correct picture. And it’s also true, it wouldn’t be easy for Ukraine to survive as a democratic and an independent state being positioned between two powers and having such a division within itself. Unfortunately for Ukraine it is too close to Russia and thus in it’s security zone. And that has nothing to do with “Russian’s Imperialism”. It just is. Relationships between Russia and NATO are on a negative side; off course, Russia doesn’t want its adversary even closer to it’s borders. Would you? But it makes especially hard on Ukrainian politicians, whatever group they belong to. It doesn’t leave much room for maneuver. It reminds me mythical story of Phaeton being torn apart by opposing forces. I wish Ukraine and it’s people best of luck on their thorny way.

By: Defencedebates’s Weblog

Defencedebates’s Weblog — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:30:41 +0000

[...] Always a marriage of convenience in Ukraine? Post a comment Posted by: Elizabeth Piper Tags: Global News, corruption, gas, President Leonid Kuchma, Russia, South Ossetia, Tymoshenko, Ukraine, Yushchenko [...]

By: Oleg Polishchuk

Oleg Polishchuk — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:49:32 +0000

Ukraine seemingly has all institutes of a functioning democracy, yet lacks strong national elite capable of rising above personal interests and putting the national interest first. It is not surprising, then, that democratic processes in Ukraine quickly degenerated into the power squabbles of those few who were able to master and use the new “democratic” institutions, including the Constitution, in their interests. As a result, Ukraine has been drifting from one political crisis to another while its citizenry, scarce even during Ukraine’s most hopeful times, dissolved into a cynical mob watching the political theater from the margins. Clearly, this state of affairs is ever fluid and, no doubt, will be repeatedly exploited by Russia who will capitalize on the existing regional differences and conflicting loyalties of Ukraine’s population. For all the reasons above I believe we cannot exclude the possibility of Ukraine turning into yet another failed state and a zone of yet another violent conflict.
Generally speaking, the political situation in Ukraine illustrates the limits of democratic institution building in the newly independent states and confirms the idea that institutions alone, without strong national elite guided by a set of broadly-shared general principles and values, are worthless.