EXPERT ASSESSMENT: VIEWS FROM UKRAINE AND FROM ABROAD
A vIEW FROM UKRAINE: RESPONSES FROM UKRAINIAN EXPERTS KEY AChIEvEMENTS IN UKRAINE’S FOREIGN POLICY
The Ukrainian experts almost entirely agree with the foreign ones in assessing Ukraine’s main achievements in the international arena: 43% of the respondents referred to the
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preservation of international support and solidarity with Ukraine in countering Russia’s aggression (by comparison, this opinion is shared by 35% of the foreign respondents).
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A significant proportion of the respondents positively assesses the support and cooperation with NATO (13%), strengthening of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as intensified military cooperation with Ukraine’s neighbours (particularly in the Baltic-Black Sea region), its presence in the international arena, participation in international organisations. One out of ten noted the attainment by Ukraine of a certain level of subjectivity, particularly in the Normandy and Minsk negotiation processes, relations with the EU and NATO.
The second key achievement, in the opinion of the Ukrainian experts, is sanctions against Russia – 27%,
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while signing of the Association Agreement took the third place (17% of the Ukrainians and almost as many foreigners). However, unlike the foreigners, the Ukrainians almost disregarded the preservation of the state and containment of the Russian aggression by Ukraine as an achievement.
In fact, we need a very clear and concrete program of Ukraine’s transformation. Under any slogan, if only it is realistic and implementable
volodymyr ohryzko, Head of the Centre for the Russian Studies, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2007-2009)