“Європейський” фактор у зовнішній політиці України щодо Республіки Польща на сучасному етапі

Abstract

Ukrainian-Polish relations in the post-bipolar period represent a dialectical variety of successes and failures, significant achievements and imperfections and sometimes even outright provocations. Cooperation between the official Kyiv and Warsaw develops wave-likely within a various factors. The periods of activation are replaced by the periods of stagnation. It’s a usual practice when there is considerable progress in one area, while in another direction is a slowdown instead. It should also be noted that the modern Ukrainian-Polish relations have been formed and actually continue to be formed in conditions of permanent geopolitical turbulence and radical international transformations. Since the beginning of the 1990s the Republic of Poland has acted traditionally as the main advocate and promoter of Ukraine in Europe. Though, over the past few years, due to the deterioration of relations between Warsaw and the leading capitals of the European Union, it has become increasingly difficult to fulfill such role for the Republic of Poland. On the other hand, Ukraine for more than twenty years of its independence has not been seen as a priority partner by both the European Union as a whole and its most influential members. Key decisions regarding Eastern Europe were taken by the main European capitals based on the principle "Russia first". Instead, there is a situation where cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union countries is the best in the entire period of the existence of Ukraine as an independent state. However, this situation is not favorable for Ukraine-Poland relations. The controversial nature of the current dialogue between Warsaw and Brussels is a serious challenge for Ukraine. The resolution of the conflict in Ukraine to a certain extent depends on the position of the members of the Normandy format, and the economic stability is in some way linked to the financial support of the European Union. This serves as a deterrent for the intensification of relations between Kyiv and Warsaw. Under such circumstances, the situation when European integration of Ukraine was related to support of Warsaw has been changed dramatically. Moreover, the intensification of relations and the support of Poland by Ukraine could potentially complicate the situation of our state, especially in the context of the confrontation with the Russian Federation.