Ukraina: 30 lat bez ZSRR

Abstract

The collapse of the Soviet Union was a momentous event for the entire world, but it was Soviet citizens for whom it was of the greatest importance. The fall of the USSR changed the geopolitical and economic map of the world and led to the emergence of fifteen new states. An independent Ukraine has become a significant component of this new geopolitical reality. The dissolution of the USSR gave the citizens of Ukraine a chance to build a sovereign state, consistent with the national interest, the state which could independently pursue its strategic goals in the area of domestic and foreign policy. Thirty years have passed since those events, which is a long enough time period to analyse changes made and to define how Ukraine has taken advantage of its historic opportunity. This paper examines the political and economic transformation of Ukraine, as well as the evolution of its foreign policy. The article also questions whether it is appropriate to compare the post-communist development of Ukraine to certain Central European countries. It also highlights the current attitude of the Ukrainian society towards the collapse of the USSR and to the Soviet past of this country.