UKRAINE’S FOREIGN POLICY AS A FACTOR OF GEOPOLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF THE EU AND RUSSIA

Abstract

Abstract. Bipolar system of international relations was replaced by unilateral U. S. dominance,
but Russia did not leave ambition to restore the status of a global power. The global financial
crisis and accession to power of Barak Obama administration both created the
conditions for the transition to a multipolar world order and dissemination of «soft power»
tools. The integration projects have been recognized as one of such tools that should guarantee
order and stability. Institutional competition between the integration projects led by the EU and
Russia has begun on the area of the Newly Independent States.

Prospects for successful implementation of the EU or Russia’s integration model are analyzed
on an example of Ukrainian integration vector, which is critical to fixing of both Brussels
and Moscow foreign leadership. The differences in the EU and Russia approaches to the «soft
power» as well as their interests towards Ukraine in the process of integration projects’ implementation
are pointed out and scrutinized. The official documents of the EU and Russia foreign
policy on Ukraine and other countries of the Western CIS are close studied. It arrives to the following
conclusion. The main aim of the European policy is to create a stable and secure environment,
to develop mutually beneficial cooperation that all involved parties desire. The EU
model of integration is indeed a «soft power»tool, attractive and legitimate. The Russian alternative
is rather a «Realpolik» tool than «soft power» one: Russian integration projects – CIS,
Customs Union, EurAsEC – seek to strengthening Moscow’s sphere of influence and the construction
of the regional environment. The main goal of this approach is to return of equal power
status that is recognized by other actors (primarily the EU, China, USA). It is pointed out that
the international community is not ready for an open confrontation with Russia, nevertheless is
trying to resolve the situation by means of liberal tools. The potential consequences for Ukraine
and the international relations system in general related to Russia’s fixing of its own leadership
and readiness to use the «hard power» tools against a sovereign Ukrainian state are highlighted.
Key words: Ukraine, EU, Russia, power, pole, system of international relations, interest, influence.