Între Est și Vest: Politica Externă a Ucrainei, 2010-2020

Abstract

The 30-year experience of Ukraine’s independent existence has shown that the issue of developing its international
relations is of great importance and goes beyond the bilateral framework, affects the nature of integration processes,
as well as the political situation in Europe. With a huge human, economic, military, scientific potential, occupying
an important geostrategic position, Ukraine seems to be one of the stabilizing factors of the new European orders.
Russia considers the development and strengthening of the strategic partnership and friendship with Ukraine as
one of its central foreign policy priorities. Without the support of its Ukrainian partner, it is difficult for Russia to
achieve positive results in European politics, playing the role of an influential power in the international arena, so the
relationship between Ukraine and the Russian Federation is essential for both states. The West also sees Ukraine as
having strategic and military potential due to its geographical position. Access to the Black Sea and Asia are key to
ensuring security on the continent, including energy security. In this way, Ukraine became a ball in the hands of the
higher powers, being energy-dependent, economically dependent on the Russian Federation, but with tendencies to
integrate into the European Union. A set of events led to the definitive establishment of the road to democracy and
European values, but Ukraine had to pay a higher price: human lives.