The paper deals with two countries – Pakistan and Ukraine – that are located at the center of the following two interest triangles: India-Pakistan-Afghanistan (South Asia) and Russia-Ukraine-Moldova (post-Soviet regional security complex). Despite their considerable differences, they have similar problems with their geopolitical neighbours in the context of territorial conflicts. Existing issues with neighbouring countries give Pakistan and Ukraine the status of a ‘middle state’, which is characterized by threatening its territorial integrity and becoming an object of ‘penetrating’ into its RSC (regional security complex) for the states from neighbouring regions.

The article focuses on studying the evolution of the U.S. society and exploring phenomena of racism and slavery. Given the fact that the modern American society is considered as the field of numerous opportunities for every person, it is worth to track its transformation and to identify the key milestones or turning points of the U.S. history in this regard. The author identifies racism as one of the slavery’s reasons, condemning the both phenomena and exploring the ways of resisting them among Americans in the first years of the United States of America as a new independent and single state. Thus, the following tasks of the research are defined: to determine the concepts of racism and slavery; to find out the origins and background of slavery in the early period of the U.S. establishing; to explore the status of African Americans in the U.S. society as well as dual standards of equality between Americans; to track the evolution of American society’s views on slavery and discrimination; and to observe the consequences of the Abolitionist movement for the further development of the U.S. society. It is stated that the black Africans appeared in the British colonies of North America because of inevitable labor problem, faced by the first settlers, forced to seek cheap or free labor hands. Primary, the Africans were brought to America as indentured staff. In 1640–1641, in Massachusetts, some types of slavery became allowed, and the other states followed such a suit. Slaves were brought from the slave factories established along the west coast of Africa from Cape Verde to the equator. The enslaved Africans did not put up with fate and protested in various ways, supported by the sympathetic Whites (philanthropists, Quakers, pastors, statesmen). Regular uprisings, protests, and strikes, the spread of agitation literature greatly contributed to protection of slaves. Thus, the Abolitionist movement was founded. Thanks to it, the slave owners were resisted, the proper laws were adopted and slavery was eventually abolished. However, the legal abolition did not totally eradicate racism from the subconscious of Americans, which is now echoed.

У статті досліджуються теоретичні витоки концепції глобального лідерства США. Розглядається її взаємозв’язок з концепцією світової гегемонії. Аналізується спроможність США чинити якісний вплив на глобальні геополітичні процеси. Пояснюються причини сприйняття США американцями як держави з особливою місією. Доведено, що США ніколи не відмовлялися від світової першості, але з огляду на трансформаційні зміни міжнародної системи обрали курс на досягнення та підтримку глобального лідерства як кращої альтернативи світовій гегемонії.

У статті досліджуються американсько-європейські відносини за період президентства Джона Ф. Кеннеді, їх основи та розвиток. Визначено, що Дж. Кеннеді не розглядав європейський напрям зовнішньої політики як пріоритетний. Зазначається, що у контексті європейської політики, увага була зосереджена на протидії комунізму та розбудові відносин із Великою Британією, Німеччиною та Францією. Спроба створення «Атлантичного співтовариства», або «Grand Design» стала ключовою ініціативою адміністрації Дж. Кеннеді для трансатлантичної єдності. Доведено, що Франція найбільш рішуче виступала проти зміцнення американських позицій в Європі та протидіяла поширенню англосаксонського впливу на континенті.

The purpose of the article is to research basis, experience, and practical ways of the implementation of U.S. security (defense) assistance to Ukraine. The current study considers the institutional and legal framework for providing U.S. defense support to Ukraine; explores the preconditions for strengthening U.S. military assistance at modern stage; analyzes the possible consequences of such support for the United States; gives an overall assessment of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since 2014. The methodological basis of the study includes a set of general and special research methods. The systematic method allowed to consider the process of providing military assistance to Ukraine by the United States as a multilevel system. First, military support to Ukraine is considered in the format of mechanisms that promote comprehensive military assistance to Ukraine. Second, it is observed as an element of foreign policy strategies of the U.S. administrations since 2014. Third, the overall impact of U.S. assistance to Ukraine is studied in the format of a security environment at the regional and global levels of international relations. The comparative method helped to compare the volumes and effectiveness of security assistance under Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations. Statistical methods were used as the basis for the objective study and allowed to consider features and scope of assistance in the period from 2014 to 2022. The scientific novelty lies in one of the first attempts among Ukrainian authors to make an overall analysis of current situation in Ukraine, – active phase of Russian aggression against our state, – given the fact that domestic scientists are just beginning to study comprehensively foreign military and defense assistance that Ukraine receives from international partners, including the United States. In this regard, the authors pay special attention to reviewing American and British sources as well as current news and analytical reports. Summing up, the authors confirm significance of American security support for effective military counteraction to Russia and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.