In order to answer this question we firstly have to fully understand the reasons of such bad situation happening in Ukraine.
Secondly, we have to find out what principles should be used to build Ukraine if there is any hope for its future. And thirdly, formulating of main measures should be taken on to provide Ukrainian path to its peace, stability and social equity.
Independence means being responsible for every government decisions determining the fate of millions of people.
Gaining Independence in 1991 is not just the greatest reward for Ukrainians but also is a big chance to build their own sovereign Ukrainian State.
We have to admit that this chance was completely ignored and criminally squandered by the government and so the same as vanished.
In 1991 Ukraine was well-developed and export oriented industrial-agrarian country еthat had about 300 branches of industry. We used to export production to 120 world countries that brought some billions dollars per year.
We met independence being united nation bounded not only by realizing our common fate but also by common desires that were all about equity and justice establishment in our country.
So it all seemed to be so easy for the government of that time. They just had to maintain what was gained in the USSR and develop Ukrainian economy along with its own social sphere, as from 1991 and on Moscow was not meant to take orders from.
But we got divided country with all its contradictions and the state of war by the 2017. Not even to mention the state of its economy.
All these years Ukraine has been changing its direction from one to another. Let’s recall only some main points of this movement from one vector of external politics to completely opposite. In July 1995 individual partnership program between Ukraine and NATO was signed under Kuchma government and military doctrine of Ukraine aimed at joining the alliance.
Then, in July the same year this aim was excluded from the doctrine. However it was set again in April of 2005 under Yushchenko government. But again, it was Viktor Yanukovych who rejected Ukraine’s membership in the NATO. The law about principles of external and internal politics was adopted and so it consolidated not-aligned status of the country.
In April 2010 course of signing Ukrainian Agreement with European Union was declared but then rejected in the end of 2013. Under Poroshenko government Ukraine refused to have not-aligned status and declared its desire to enter NATO however alliance never claimed Ukraine to be its member and never mentioned providing security guarantees to our country.
All these controversial actions were absolutely truly taken by the entire world as a flirting of Ukrainian government with the West, either Russia. And it was not worth a respect, was it?
But danger was and remains in political country leaders manipulating by the Ukrainian people and their consciousness and trying to lure part of the nation with the delights of the West and telling about maintaining relations with Russian Federation to the others at the same time.
Some of them are being persuaded to hold themselves of Kiev and so, to wait a little more time until uncontrolled territories of differentiated Donetsk and Lugansk regions (DNR-LNR) will become the part of soviet world forming some confederation with Russia and becoming oriented towards Custom Union market. People are being held under the illusion of selling electricity as if Russia does really need it. And what if they will also sell machine manufacturing and metallurgy?
The human nature is arranged so, that we do hope everything will change for the better even despite having so solid arguments. This is why many of DNR-LNR’s habitants really believe in marketing outlet of Russia.
Others, like we are, are being persuaded in completely opposite. They say we should wait a little more time, just a bit more to see how signing the Union-Ukraine Association Agreement will change all our lives and will solve all the problems we have. And we truly hope so, even despite regular publication of different analytical articles and scientific views.
During the interview to “Voice of America” of 17 January 2015 Yuriy Kosuk (Former First Deputy of the Presidential Administration) said that Ukraine produced 1 million 200 thousand tones of chicken meat per year while Europe gave tariff-free quota at 16 thousand tones. Everything below was meant to have a fee such as 1000 Euros per tone. So he stated Europe to protect its market and own interests while Ukraine didn’t.
In 14th of March 2015 world-famous economy news agency ″Bloomberg″ wrote that European Union adopted strict annual quotas on a part of the most popular Ukrainian export products. And some of 2016 year quotes relating to honey, sugar, corn, some grain, and grape and apple juices had already been fulfilled by the 1st of April. Ethanol quote limit was almost reached. And till 1st of May quote for outs was completed, and then, wheat and barley were also reaching their annual limit.
All that happened in 2015. If there have been any changes for the last time? Olga Trophimtseva (Deputy Head of Minagropolicy of Ukraine) in her article of 8th of November 2016 mentioned increasing quotas for honey, grits, tomatoes, grape juice, outs, corn and barley.
We have to stop using political slogans contradicting to modern realities and interests of Ukraine once and for all.
Clearly, European market is very important for agrarians of Ukraine and we just have to be happy for them. But haven’t we dreamt of opening its market not only for primary commodity, but also for value-added products such as turbines, engines, control systems, and high tech products of world-famous PJSC ″HARTRON″, ″Turboatom″, ″Artem″ and ″Zorya-Mashproekt″?
This is a heavy burden we have to bear for our imposed illusions.
So we have to stop using political slogans contradicting to modern realities and interests of Ukraine once and for all. This price is too big to pay.
Independent policy of Ukraine should be carried out on the basis of pragmatism and reaching national economic interests. Ukraine has to produce its goods and products for every country where they can be sold. We have to reanimate enterprises if there is any chance of that, and open new markets of countries still remembering Ukrainian production.
Following the principles of economic pragmatism will help to integrate Ukrainian political nation. We have all conditions for such integration. Because of Christianity most people have Orthodoxy or Greek Catholic faith living peacefully for the past 25 years and that fully demonstrates a multiculturalism of our country.
But we have to re-establish the value of having Ukrainian citizenship and authority of the Ukrainian Constitution. Passport of the citizen of Ukraine shouldn’t become the weapon for carrying out experiments on us and our country.
We have only one way of statehood restoration and it lies in getting rid of illusions and becoming united.
Each person should understand his or her responsibility towards the Motherland. Declarative Constitution of Ukrainian should change into really effective guide for governance of the country.
Is it possible for Ukraine to do so? I think it is not just possible but is really necessary. We have only one way of statehood restoration and it lies in getting rid of illusions and becoming united.
Refusing to do so is the same as finally getting protectorate status or colony of more powerful countries while saving Ukrainian statehood won’t mean anything because we will be taught what to do.
Ukraine had been living without independence for many years. Since 1991 it still have been seeking its way in a globalised world split by geopolitical interests.
So now the fate of our Motherland is being solved. So do we remain the toys in hands of the powerful ones forever or are we going to change something and become the subject of international relations? We should justify Shevchenko’s words that the truth, strength and freedom are only here, but not far away. So do we feel them?
Aleksandr Solovyov — public figure, lawyer, Candidate of public administration sciences
Translation — Helen Grinchuck