Ukraine
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The Ukraine lying to the north by the blacksea shore, which comes second in area (603.700 kmĂâ ), and population (52 million) in old Soviet Union countries, has a strategic importance both for the West and Rusia for centuries. Ukraine, which is in the search of its identity since it gained its independency in 1991, have tried to have good relationships with the West while it formed its foreign policy. Besides, it made efforts to have good relationship with Russia that is called “big brother” as not to resent him, and get along also with the East. Although Ukraine head of the state described it as “bilateral policy”, in fact, this factor reflects the fact that Ukraine is divided into two parts. Because, west of Ukraine, the biggest state whose land is all in Europe run for West when the eastern part is in tight relations with Russia. Moreover, between two regions mentioned, there are political and religious differences. When western part of the coutry is close to Europe about politics and catholic population is dense, in the east, besides Russian supporters Ukrainens there are also Russian population densely. In the Ukraine which is divided into two different parts both politically and cultural after the collapse of Soviet Union and go and come between east and west, before the 2004 presidency elections, the western description for Yushchenko as ” Ukreinen Saakashvili ” leaded up to rumours that after the Velvet Revolution in Georgia, such scenarios could happen.
Russians Ukraine Policy
Ukraine with its population, land, strategic position that connects Europa and Asia, has an important place in international relations. Also with its own dynamics and the charecteristic of being a buffer zone between Russia and the West, Ukraine is considered as the power that can resist Russia not to widen russian domain. Ukraines international decisions are in the position of effecting regional balances. According to Russian geopolitics doctrine, Ukraine is in the authority of Russia, not the West.
Ukraines geopolitics shows that, this country is needed much more by Russia than USA and EU. Russia can go to Blacksea and then warm waters by means of Ukraine. Firstly, as being a open gate for Russia to Europe for energy transportation, Russia need Ukraine for cooperation. Along side all these, Russia and Ukraine are close to each other when considered history, ethnic groups (Slav). Russian population live in the Crimea Peninsula and Russian minority that lives generally in this country are among the important factors which make Ukraine oustanding (Ogan, 2006).
Ukraine, which has important features in the fields of agriculture, industry and technology, is also a strategic transit pass counrty as it reaches Europe by the Middle Asia petrol and natural gas lands. This characteristic makes Ukraine indispensable for Russia and with this power, Ukraine can balance its dependency on Russia about energy, petrol and natural gas. Briefly, Ukrainess dependency on egergy is balanced by Russian dependency on transit pass. Even if we put aside other features, it is easily understood how Russia needs Ukraine and how important who will be the president of the state of Ukraine is very vital for Russia (Ertan, 2004).
EUs Ukraine Policy
Like USA and Russia, Ukraines one of the most important subject is EU in terms of foreign affairs politics. Specially Polonias being the member state and the EU perspective given to Balkan countries such as Bulgaria and Romania make Ukraine a neighbour to EU and EU for Kiev became more important than ever. Ukraines geopolitic importance gives Ukraine the charecterictic of being both bridge and buffer zone. It is observed that for both of them, Ukraine is vital because of the Russia (Ogan, 2006).
The fact that Ukraine is a independent state and supporter of the West changes the Europe geopolitics greatly. For Europe, importance of Ukraine is about safety. As Alexander Rahr cited, independence of Ukraine is one of the most important safeguards of European stability (Rahr, 1999).
When Ukraine gained its independency, the subject that greatly interested Europe was the fates of the nucleer guns left in Ukraine. After the collapse of Soviet Union, like USA, Europe abstain from possible nucleer threat, that why alongside USA, England also gave safety guaranty to Ukraine in excange it gave nucleer weapons to Russia (Bilinsky, 1997). After this possible threat was passed over, it is seen that Ukraines importance in the eyes of Europe was declined. But no doubt, Ukraines geopolitic importance continues.
To the effect that, after the possible enlargement of European Union, Ukraine will turn into a buffer zone between EU and Russia. Even today, we can consider Ukraine such buffer zone. But just one geopolitic position is not enough for EU. It is given importance to make Russia safer place for Europe. From this angle, a democratic and successfull Ukraine with financial reforms would be a desired process. But recently, Europe is not satisfied with Ukraines internal politic processes, politic and economic situations and the fact that it couldnt prepare an environment for foreign investments. On the otherhand, Europa and specially Germany, which gives special importance to relations with Russia, think that Russia can be dangeraous and approach Ukraine carefully.
Germany undertakes the big role in the policy of EU about Ukraine. The reason of this is both Germanys general role in the EU and Ukraines geopolitic position when considered Germany. Germany gives special importance to East Europe safety and stability in Ukraine and specially in Poland is advantage for Germany. That is why independence of Ukraine is what Germany profits from.
Warsaw blok cuntries like Poland, Hungary and Romania understands the threat of Russia better and try to emphazise the importance of Ukraines geopolitic and geostrategic importance in the eyes of Europe. Speciallay Poland that relates to Ukraine with historical past, is supporter of Ukraine. Poland head of the state Alexander Kvasnevskiy announced that Poland would support the cooperation of Ukraine with EU, IMF and World Bank (Stratfor, 1999). It was also Poland which resisted the Russian pipeline project for a long time that deactived Ukraine.
Ukraine is infact a land in which cold war never ends. The word “Ukraine” means “border country” and Ukraine has been always a historical scene for east and west conflict. This conflict leaded to create the supporters of eastern (Russia) and western in internal balances. In the 2004 presidency election that divided into the country right in the