ABSTRACT

Ukraine's foreign policy represents the most substantial political success story for the young state. This chapter describes how both Ukraine's inclinations and its options have evolved since 1991, beginning with a discussion of the immense tasks Ukraine faced in the international arena at the time of independence. Prior to August 1991, Ukraine had not conducted an independent foreign policy, and the lack of experience showed after independence. In the first phase of Ukrainian independence, the strong side of the triangle was the one linking the United States and Russia, and Ukraine was the odd man out. By mid-1994, changes in US Russian relations, combined with Ukraine's own choice to surrender its nuclear weapons, opened up new options for Ukraine's relations with both states. Ukrainian leadership hoped the changed structure of the Ukrainian-Russian-US triangle has helped Ukraine improve its relationship with Russia.