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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Is it Evening Yet?

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Perhaps the arguments about what Ukraine has really got from the visits of the US Vice President and French Foreign Minister will last for a long time. Based on the version by the Washington Post Moscow correspondent, one can conclude that it got nothing but from one more rebuke for lack of progress with conducting reforms and combating corruption.

But if you listen to the public statements by either Albert Gore or Huber Vedrine, you can get another impression: everything is still not so bad at all, and in order to get helped in avoiding a financial crisis President Kuchma has only to keep the promises he himself made four years ago. That means reforms – crucial, painful, carried out in accord with Parliament. Then IMF will start to finance Ukraine (or its leadership) again and Washington will go on supporting the current Ukrainian government, especially in the light of Gore being already considered as the most likely first American President of the next century.

Both Gore and Vedrine talked very tough with top Ukrainian officials. However, at the same time both made clear that either the United States and France (United Europe's driving force) are still interested in this underdeveloped, wild, and somewhat boorish country.

Apparently, such aspects as the capacity of its possible market, ability to neutralize Russia to some extent, and the fact that (despite some people's obvious desire) the country has not fallen as deep as Belarus were also considered.

The other question is that Ukraine even being favored by the West is not supported as strongly as Russia is. There are probably many reasons why: four years of rhetoric instead of real reforms, fear of Ukraine's collapse is not comparable with that of nuclear Russia's, and simple inertia.

The visits – especially that of the French Minister – showed that it was worthwhile for Ukraine to replace its Foreign Minister. Because France, which had been the initiator of the freeze between the European Union and Ukraine over Chornobyl, is now openly offering its help in approaching Europe. But only in case Kyiv plays by the rules.

As a matter of fact, both visits showed that it is still not too late and, as our national anthem has it, "Ukraine has not yet perished" for the West. But it can die very soon if disobedient. Apparently, we have to agree that all attempts by Ukraine to conduct its own independent policy have failed. And only our descendants will know whose commands (Moscow's or the West's) are better to take.

 

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