Comments on: EU-Ukraine: Time for a Real Strategy

By: Ronald

Ronald — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:02:38 +0000

Alan’s point is spot on — Ukraine has no government as that term is generally used. Even Khoroshkovsky seems poised to quit.Structurally this is no problem for Russia’s Putin. Alas,it is also nothing the Eu is prepared to confront Yanukovich on, thereby shaming the EU into a posture of meekness.

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:45:15 +0000

…all because the Ukraine can never, ever be independent. It just has to be under the thumb of either Germany (as represented by the EU, which it controls) or Russia.

By: Ukraine and the Sword of Vladimir « The Greenroom

Ukraine and the Sword of Vladimir « The Greenroom — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:48:23 +0000

[...] required to jump through before the DCFTA can be finalized, hoops that make Ukraine’s decision all that more difficult: Signature of the AA and DCFTA has been supported by all Ukraine’s political forces … However [...]

By: Nestor

Nestor — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 06:56:03 +0000

Ms. Paul avoids fundamentals. Ukrainian rhetoric is one thing and Ukrainian reality another. The Yanukovych government is not a real government in the sense of caring about its population and the country’s development. Emerging from the thoroughly Soviet and Russian chauvinism of the Donetsk region, strongly influenced by criminal practices from there, in no manner will the election campaign be free or fair. There is ample evidence of that already but everyone seems afraid of saying so. Yanukovich’s temperament is such that he will not surrender power on anyone’s terms except his own. That is unlikely given his palatial residence outside of Kyiv (and other places) to which he has grown accustomed, his turning control of the security forces to trusted henchmen, and finally ensuring that his son becomes a billionaire quickly along with political influence. No, Mr. YANUKOVICH is not going away nor is his regime. After all he is a late comer to the example set by his neighbours Putin and Lukashenko. He fully intends to catch up with them.

By: Babeouf

Babeouf — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:29:26 +0000

What the Ukrainian regime must take into account is the current state of the EU. Why would they want to bind themselves more closely to an organisation in existential crisis? Future benefits imply that the EU has a long term future. And this looks more and more questionable.

By: Victor

Victor — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 05:35:50 +0000

The ball is completely on Ukraine´s court. They can either follow Russia or they can follow Poland.

Russia has proved you can “modernize” economically while completely backtracking on democracy. So the EU presumably has taken note.