32Received 01.06.2024. Revised 26.06.2024. Accepted 29.07.2024.
Acknowledgements. This article was prepared with the support of a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation for major scientific projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development No. 075-15-2024-551 “Global and Regional Centers of Power in the Emerging World Order”.
Abstract. The purpose of the article is to explore main forms of assistance offered by Poland and the Czech Republic to Ukraine. Firstly, the paper discusses the main lines of action taken by Polish government and society in support of Ukraine. It is assumed that direct involvement of in helping Kyiv was due to various political, strategic, economic and defensive factors. However, dynamics of aid allocation was still depending on the international ambitions of Polish government on the one hand and on the public sentiments towards Ukrainian refugees – on the other. Despite declarations of Polish-Ukrainian strategic partnership, aid provided to Kyiv tends to increasingly serve Poland’s policy goals and trade interests. Secondly, the development of Czech-Ukrainian relations in political and socio-economic spheres is assessed. The conclusion is made about the transformation of foreign trade relations between the Czech Republic and Ukraine after the beginning of Russia’s Special military operation (SMO). The main problems faced by Czechia in connection with the influx of Ukrainian refugees as well as the reaction of Czech society to this are considered. There is a certain fatigue in the country today because of the “Ukrainian issue”, which is indicative against the background of active support at the beginning of 2022. Special attention is paid to the comprehensive assistance provided by Prague to Kyiv. The Czech Republic stays an active donor of military aid to Ukraine, which entails a significant financial burden. The Czech side seeks to partially “compensate” such expenses by expanding economic cooperation, including plans for active participation in the further reconstruction of Ukraine. The factors influencing the expansion of interaction between the two countries are identified.
Keywords: assistance to Ukraine, factors and dynamics of assistance, Poland, Polish-Ukrainian relations, Czech Republic, Czech-Ukrainian relations, arms supplies, humanitarian aid
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