That’s what Ukraine did. Russia probably
offered Ukraine just enough short-term gain – to get through the 2015
presidential election cycle to re-elect Viktor Yanukovych – that it indefinitely
postponed what could’ve been the main catalyst for shedding the last vestiges
of its Soviet shell: a political association and free trade pact with the European
Union.
It was a highly pragmatic decision albeit
shortsighted. The principal assumption is that the EU will always be next door
and that Ukraine could always finish meeting the criteria for signing the EU
treaty. It allows Ukraine to maintain the status quo, one in which wealth is
concentrated in a few hands as corruption festers and an insider economy
continues to redistribute what remains of the state’s remaining assets.
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Editor’s Note: Join top government officials, leading industry CEOs, business owners and other experts to discuss Ukraine’s future after the Vilnius Summit at this year’s Kyiv Post Tiger Conference, which will be held on Dec 3 in Premier Palace Hotel. The guests and speakers will assess the effects on Ukrainian political and economic life of not signing an association agreement with the European Union at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Nov. 28-29. Register now or find out more here
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The logic is why make the sacrifices and go
through the pains of transforming its governing institutions and legislation,
including its economy, when it could be done gradually while accepting fast
cash and cheaper gas from Russia in the meantime?
That kind of imprudent mentality is what
prevented the stooge mentioned above from getting a better deal in the
long-run. Had he traded in his car and took out a loan to buy a better one, he
would’ve improved his ride.
Now he’s left without wheels, like Ukraine
is left without a European partner. It now has to contend with its northeastern
neighbor with whom it shares a common history of cultural, linguistic and
military conflicts, all of which left it on the losing end.
Kyiv
Post editor Mark Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].
