CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2012
| Author | Diakun, Anna Natalia |
|---|---|
| Title | EU Foreign Policy in Ukraine: Policy Shortcomings and Russia's Countervailing Force |
| Summary | With the 2004 enlargement, the EU gained not just new members, but new neighbors as well. A new strategy for its bordering countries was required, and frameworks like the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership have been developed over the years in order to promote security, stability, and democracy in its neighboring states. Despite these policies and the democratic opening of the Orange Revolution, analysis shows that Ukraine and Ukrainians have not made significant strides toward integration with the EU. Expert analysis, NGO reports, and public opinion surveys show that the country has not become more democratic, the government has failed to implement EU rules and regulations that it has adopted, and the people are no more EU-friendly today than before the Orange Revolution. The EU’s attempts at external governance and neighborhood Europeanization have been flawed, and its tactics in the social, political, and economic realms have failed to change the underlying social landscape of the country or counterbalance the extremely salient social ties between Ukraine and Russia. In both the political and economic realms, Russia is a countervailing force undermining EU power and influence. In the social realm, Russia has the ultimate advantage, using its soft power to capitalize on starkly polarized identity divisions within Ukraine. These divides and the ability of Russia to use them have made it impossible for the EU to make consistent and sustainable progress within Ukraine. |
| Supervisor | Balazs, Peter |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2012/diakun_anna.pdf |
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