Alienation as a Resource in Ukraine's Relations with Russia

Abstract

the author surveys the range of attitudes toward russia among ukrainian specialists. He argues that factors conducive to good relations between russia and ukraine are now predominant.Changes in the contemporary world have increased the importance of the "political center" among states' ideological preferences. The global ecological crisis, weariness with the war against international terrorism, and financial and economic difficulties have strengthened centrist tendencies in countries' domestic politics and strengthened the importance of coalitions. Signs of recession in the leading economies compel political elites to focus on resolving pragmatic tasks, relegating political differences and ideological nuances to the background.In the past, Western political technologists found it relatively easy to direct politics in several post-Soviet states into an anti-Russian channel and thereby bring about the victory of the colored revolutions. The failure of the United States in Iraq and America's economic problems, however, have undermined revolutionary scenarios. As President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia noted at the Twelfth St. Petersburg World Economic Forum, the burden of world leadership has proven beyond the strength of the United States.This point of view finds confirmation in the specifics of Russian-Ukrainian academic contacts. Thus, in late 2007 in Kiev there appeared ukraine and russia on the road to democracy: special characteristics of the transition 64 English translation