U.S. Policy Towards Ukraine (1991–2013): Between Restraint and Overall Support

175
DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2020-64-4-15-25
S. Markedonov (smarkpost@gmail.com), 
ÌGIMO University, 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation;
O. Rebro (olgarebro@yandex.ru), 
ÌGIMO University, 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation;  
A. Sushentsov (asushentsov@inno.mgimo.ru), 
MGIMO University, 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation;
A. Chechevishnikov (alc0202@gmail.com), 
MGIMO University, 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation

Acknowledgements. The research has been supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the Nonprofit Expertise Institute for Social Research as part of the scientific project No. 19-011-31330 îïí “AmericanUkrainian Relations in the Post-Soviet Era: Strategic Interests, Motives, Values”.


Abstract. Nowadays, the Ukrainian crisis is the most serious threat to the European security and stability since the late 1980s symbolizing the end of the Cold War era. It is accompanied by the protracted conflict in Donbass as well as ongoing disputes on the Crimean Peninsula status between Russia, on the one hand, and Ukraine with its Western allies, on the other. Ukrainian issues are widely represented in the scholarly literature today. However, the most of papers examine Ukraine exclusively as a polygon of the Russian-Western confrontation, focusing mainly on the “Euro-Maidan” and consequent events in Crimea and Donbass. The authors of this article consider the U.S.-Ukrainian bilateral relations as having their own motives and logics, not restricting this issue by the “Russian factor”. Their analysis includes evolution of the Ukrainian foreign policy priorities, the U.S. approaches to the post-Soviet space in general and newly independent Ukraine in particular. It is offered to look at the U.S.-Ukrainian relationship since the USSR demise till 2013. In the authors’ opinion, the “Euro-Maidan” and all developments after it radically transformed the Ukrainian foreign policy in the pro-Western direction. At the same time, Washington balancing between restraint and active cooperation with the post-Soviet Ukraine intensified its full-scaled support of Kiev (Kyiv) as an important strategic ally in the Black Sea region. The article examines some fluctuations in the relationship of the two countries. It analyzes the “bursts” of the U.S. support for Ukraine (1991, 2004–2005 and 2013) and declines of interest to it as well (late 1990s; the period between 2007 and 2013). The authors assume that Washington was not extremely stirring in Ukrainian issues prior 2013. However, the full-scaled domestic crisis in this country pushed the U.S. to a more active engagement. This growing American influence challenged the existing status quo, because it was perceived by Moscow as an ongoing Western offensive to diminish the Russian influence in Eurasia. 

Keywords: U.S.-Ukrainian relationship, Ukrainian crisis, post-Soviet space, “Orange Revolution”, “Euro-Maidan”, European security, Transatlantic partnership, U.S. strategic culture, democratization, NGOcracy


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For citation:
Markedonov S., Rebro O., Sushentsov A., Chechevishnikov A. U.S. Policy Towards Ukraine (1991–2013): Between Restraint and Overall Support . World Eñonomy and International Relations, 2020, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 15-25. https://doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2020-64-4-15-25



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