Blue &Yellow: Politics and Economics in Ukraine

Yanukovych did not displease his Russian guests, as during his speech he never once mentioned Ukraine’s desire to join the EU. Instead, he said that Ukraine “will choose the speed, form and methods of integration that conform to its national interests” (Ukrayinska Pravda, October 4). Yanukovych is the first of four Ukrainian presidents to avoid supporting efforts to join NATO or to publicly endorse joining the EU. Yanukovych has repeatedly ignored requests by the G7 Ambassadors for a meeting in Kyiv (Ukrayinska Pravda, October 11).

Taras Kuzio writing about Russian influence on Ukrainian foreign policy.  Toe be fair, Russia also successfully lobbied other countries to make it unlikely that NATO would offer Ukraine a MAP. As for the EU, even if Yanukovych wanted to join the EU, would the EU be ready to include a country the size of Ukraine right now?