THE EUROPEAN UNION IN UKRAINE’S FOREIGN POLICY (1995–2004)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the significance and place of the European Union in the foreign policy of Ukraine in the context of the implementation of the strategy of acquiring subjectivity in international relations. The methodological basis of the work is the principles of objectivity and historicism and general scientific, special-historical research methods, as well as systemic, interdisciplinary and pluralistic approaches to the study of Ukraine’s foreign policy. The scientific novelty lies in a comprehensive study of the significance of the European Union for the international subjectivization of Ukraine. The main trends and contradictions in the implementation of Ukraine’s European integration strategy are highlighted, as well as the geopolitical dimension of Ukraine-EU relations is analyzed. Conclusions. The European Union, as the most influential integration association, was given a key role in Ukraine’s foreign policy, which began the process of international affirmation of subjectivity. The proclamation of the ambitious goal of achieving Ukraine’s membership in the EU was synchronized with the reformatting of the Union itself, which was completing the implementation of the Maastricht Treaty and preparing for further enlargement. A serious challenge to deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU was the formation of the neo-Soviet regime of Leonid Kuchma, which tried to maneuver between European integration and the "strategic partnership" with Russia. The result was a political crisis inside the country and the defeat of the multi-vector model of foreign policy.