30 years into independence, Ukraine seeks more integration with Euro-Atlantic community

By Talha Yavuz

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) – On the 30th anniversary of its independence, Ukraine is aiming for still deeper integration into the Euro-Atlantic community

On Aug. 24, 1991, Ukraine’s parliament declared the country’s independence, also renaming it Ukraine from the old Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

In a Dec. 1, 1991 referendum, over 92% of Ukrainians formalized the approval of independence from the Soviet Union.

Having determined integration to the Euro-Atlantic community as their strategic goal, on Dec. 2, 1991, the Ukrainian and EU foreign minister signed an EU-Ukraine declaration.

Ukraine signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU in June 1994. The agreement, meant to improve bilateral economic, political, and cultural cooperation, came into effect in 1998.

-Orange Revolution

In 2004, then-Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych won a presidential election against Victor Yushchenko with 49% of the votes cast. The results, however, caused a public outcry, and numerous massive demonstrations began, dubbed the Orange Revolution. Consequently, the elections were re-run, resulting in the pro-western Yushchenko winning.

EU-Ukraine relations further improved from 2009 onwards thanks to an Eastern Partnership Program.

- 2014 revolution

But after Yanukovych decided to suspend the signing of an association agreement with the European Union, instead choosing closer ties with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union, a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest began on Nov. 21, 2013, splitting the nation between pro-Russian and pro-Western factions.

When demonstrations spread to other parts of the country and escalated into full-scale civil unrest, in February 2014 Yanukovych fled the country and pro-Western powers took power. Petro Poroshenko became president.

Political provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement were signed on March 21, 2014. This was followed by the signing of the economic provisions of the agreement that June.

Furthermore, an EU-Ukraine free trade agreement came into force in 2016.

- From Warsaw Pact to path to NATO

During the Cold War, Ukraine, one of the constituents of the Soviet Union, was a member of the Warsaw Pact.

In line with its efforts to improve relations with the EU, the country initiated a process with NATO. In 1994, it signed onto the Partnership for Peace program and then a Privileged Partnership Treaty in 2007.

NATO-Ukraine relations gained momentum during Yushchenko’s term, and consequently, the country made a full membership application to NATO in 2008. Even though NATO announced at the 2008 Bucharest summit that Ukraine would join the bloc, no concrete steps were taken.

After seeing intense Russian military activity along its border with Russia this April, Ukraine expected to be invited to the 2021 NATO Brussels summit, but it was not.

Against this background, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky remarked that his country made important reforms for NATO membership and so it is time for the alliance to support Ukraine with tangible steps.

Speaking after the summit, US President Joe Biden reiterated that corruption remains a major problem in Ukraine and that it can be a NATO member only when it fulfills the required conditions for membership.

*Written by Ahmet Gencturk in Ankara