A vIEW FROM ABROAD: RESPONSES FROM FOREIGN EXPERTS KEY PROBLEMS IN UKRAINE’S FOREIGN POLICY
In the foreign experts’ view, the top three problems in Ukraine’s foreign policy include:
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internal policy, i.e. implementing reforms and overcoming corruption (in the opinion of 42% of foreign experts);
conflict with Russia (the answer provided by the 30% of those surveyed); the lack of foreign policy strategy, constant ambiguity in the relations with the EU and NATO (this answer was given by 18% of the respondents).
Bad image, bad communications and public diplomacy also ranked among the most important problems in the Ukrainian foreign policy. This was pointed out by 15% and 13% of the respondents. Today, Ukraine is mostly associated with corruption and war.2 The survey showed that certain experts even believe in the myths spread by the Russian propaganda about Ukraine: some of them seriously regard the growing popularity of right-wing forces in Ukraine as a problem.3 Furthermore, according to the surveyed experts, Ukrainian diplomats are not
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Why Ukraine is just like your country: the post-Euromaidan perspective, Euromaidan Press 21.11.2016, http://euromaidanpress.com/2016/11/21/ ukraine-revolution-euromaidan-international-connection-similaritiesworld/
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Following the 2014 parliamentary elections in Ukraine, the Right Sector, a right-wing radical party, got 1.8 per cent of the votes and was not elected to the Verkhovna Rada.
always able to state clearly their position on Crimea and the conflict in East Ukraine.
Other Ukraine’s weaknesses in foreign policy include: • dependence on support from the West, • problems in communicating clearly with the West (in particular, as regards Crimea or the Minsk process), • fatigue from Ukraine, • the need to establish bilateral relations with neighbours and partners, • insufficient number of skilled diplomatic personnel, • the need to counter Russian propaganda, • and the stalemate in the Minsk process.
Ukraine is right now the battleground against Kremlin revisionism. This is a very important role, and costly and painful for Ukraine. Sadly, many people in the West do not realize this because they do not see Putin’s designs as dangerous. But Ukraine has acquired experience that could help NATO prepare for a confrontation with Moscow
John herbst, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (2003-2006); Director of the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center (USA)