European Union

This tag archives blog posts related to the European Union in relation to Ukraine.

Euromaidan and Ukrainian History

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Illustration for Yelyzaveta Taranukha's "Euromaidan and Ukrainian History."
Image source: TCH.ua

Yelyzaveta Taranukha
Faculty of Humanities
Master Program of Philology (1st year)
from Svatove town, Luhansk region

Each national history has lived through elevations and depressions during its self-development. Revolution as a form of national protest and as a kind of political transformation simultaneously tends to be both ups and downs. Although sudden changes ruin the way of living causing unpredictable events, Euromaidan has reconstituted Ukrainians into the nation. This page of Ukrainian history demonstrates our readiness to build the democracy and to rule the country, it indicates our becoming independent. Read more →

Euromaidan and Youth’s New Way of Thinking

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Photo: Ivano-Frankivsk students at Euromaidan. Illustration for Bogdana Poberezhna's "Euromaidan and Youth's New Way of Thinking"
Ivano-Frankivsk students at Euromaidan. Source: versii.if.ua

Bogdana Poberezhna
Faculty of Natural Sciences,
Environmental Studies (Ecology),
Master Program (1st year)
From Kyiv city

Euromaidan is, for sure, the most lively and discussed event of the past 20 years. Moreover, it will stay the most memorable for Independent Ukraine’s history. Maidan protest started as a student strike, but united people from all over the world. People from all regions of Ukraine took part in protest, part of them came to Independence Square; others – were supporting or observing it on TV. On the one hand, student strikes were numerous in the history of European countries and they were able to bring changes, and the same happened in Ukraine, which was a signal of changes in society. On the other hand, Euromaidan is the event which a new generation was waiting for to reveal its political priorities, attitude to authorities, and information exchange manner. Read more →

Course on the Euromaidan

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University of Alberta launches a special course on the Euromaidan

Photo: Panorama of the "March of Millions" in Kyiv. Illustration for announced course on the Euromaidan at the University of Alberta.
Aerial panorama of Kyiv’s “March of Millions.” Source: vidomosti-ua.com

In the Fall of 2014,  the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies of the University of Alberta will be launching a special course, devoted to recent events in Ukraine.

Titled “SLAV 299 A2 – Europe and the Ukrainian (Euromaidan) Revolution,”  this course can be found on BearTracks under Fall semester listings.

It will be taught on T & Th 2:00 – 3:20 pm by Professors
Oleh Ilnytzkyj and Natalia Pylypiuk, with guest speakers.

Read more →

Becoming a New Patriot

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Photo: Students from Uzgorod take to the streets in support of Euromaidan. Illustration for Anna Pastyria's "Becoming a New Patriot."
Students from Uzgorod take to the streets in support of Euromaidan. Source: TSN.ua

Anna Pastyria
National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Master Program in Biology (1st year)
From Nova Odesa, Mykolaiv region
For the last 5 years living in Kyiv.

 Despite studying in one of the most “Ukrainian” universities in the country, I have never been patriotic. In fact, after finishing school, the biggest advantage of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy for me was a well-developed department of international cooperation, as my childhood dream was to enter a master program abroad. Ukraine never seemed a perspective country to me. I had always wanted to become a biologist and wanted to work with modern methods and technologies, which is almost impossible in Ukraine nowadays. Maybe, the blame for this situation is on the people who ruled this country. The heroic past of Ukrainian nation always made me proud, but modern society and modern politicians were so disappointing that there was no hope left in my heart for a better future in Ukraine. However, recently everything changed. For the first time our country had a chance to become closer to developed European neighbors. And again, the authorities and president wanted to prevent this political and economical growth for their own benefit. But this time, my nation was not silent. Euromaidan made me proud of Ukraine, made me a real patriot. Read more →

Euromaidan: Impossible Is Possible

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Protesters on Hrushevskoho Street, January 24. Illustration for Ann Hnedkova's "Euromaidan: Impossible is Possible."
Protesters on Hrushevskoho Street, January 24. Source: Wired.com. Photographer: Brendan Hoffman

Ann Hnedkova
National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”
Faculty of Humanities
Master Program of Philology (1st year)
from Kyiv city

Throughout Euromaidan Revolution, one question was verbalized or thought of by its participants more often than any other: “How is that possible?” The same question constantly interrupts my conversations with international friends about the recent Ukrainian events. It seems that the question is not going to lose its relevance after the Euromaidan phenomenon. That is why its origin, evolution, and meaning are needed to explain.

November 21, 2013. The question of possibility becomes a mover of people. The Ukraine’s suspense of European Union trade preparation is announced. Kyiv reacts with peaceful protests with European Union flags, student strikes, and the improvised stage at the Maidan Nezalezhnosti square. Dancing, singing the Hymn of Ukraine, and not leaving the square until our voices are being heard. How is that possible that the government does not react? Maybe it is worth arranging more peaceful meetings, encouraging more people to join, and waiting? Read more →

Orobets is the European Choice for Kyiv – not Klitschko

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Taras Kuzio

The re-registration of Lesya Orobets as a candidate for Kyiv Mayor was the right and just decision to make. The actions of the UDAR-Solidarity team in attempting to remove her show how little they have in common with democracy and European values (as to fighting corruption they cannot have anything in common when Dmytro Firtash is financing Petro Poroshenko’s election campaign). Read more →

History Reversed – History Re-lived

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Bohdan Nahaylo

During the half-a-year since the courageous students in the Maidan dared to declare “enough!” and to sound the clarion call to national revolution, we have witnessed: the heroic resistance to, and overthrow of, a corrupt, cynical, and in essence anti-Ukrainian regime; the immediate back-lash from the ancient regime’s backers in the Kremlin aimed at denying Ukraine’s right as a sovereign nation to self-determination, both internally in terms of its democratic choice, and externally as regards self-identification and alignment with the Euro-Atlantic community of states and their values; and, annexation via brutal force, subterfuge and a pseudo-referendum of Crimea, and the replication of these vile methods, with a similar anti-Ukrainian aim, in the Donbas.

Read more →

Ukrainians Before and After Euromaidan

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Andriy Buniak
National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”
Faculty of Computer Sciences
Master Program in
Information Control Systems and Technologies (1st year)
from Volodymyr-Volynsky town, Volyn’ region

One of the most significant achievements the Euromaidan resulted in was the dramatic change, the evolution of the Ukrainians as a nation. Considering the national spirit’s strength, the feeling of unity and the struggle of democratic changes, the Ukrainians have become one nation in the terms of a few months.

Firstly, the spirit of the Ukrainians have evolved significantly. After the Orange revolution, which definitely brought nothing but disappointment to the major part of its participants, the morale of the nation was heavily damaged. Ukrainians felt cheated and frustrated that resulted in many years of apathy and despair considering political activity. Even the first steps of Euromaidan were met with a bit of skepticism due to the comparisons with the past failures. Nevertheless, long tough months of revolution 2014 have changed the minds even of the strongest critics. The dedication and courage shown on the Independence Square inspired the increase of patriotism throughout the whole country. Today despite all the tough circumstances the victory was get in, the Ukrainians feel optimistic and confident as they have no moral right to fail with their political choice again. Read more →

Politics of Energy Dependency

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Margarita M. Balmaceda on the Politics of Energy Dependency: Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania Between Domestic Oligarchs and Russian

Recent events in Ukraine again raise the question of  choices and the role of powerful domestic groups in relations with Russia and the EU. The Politics of Energy Dependency considers these issues from the perspective of post-independence energy policies in three states: Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. Dr. Balmaceda’s project analyzes the effect of these countries’ geographic location on Russia’s ability to use energy as a foreign-policy tool in the region and on their own political development. Read more →

The US and EU Must Take New Steps Quickly to Help Ukraine

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Dr. Taras Kuzio

News organizations last week reported a new conclusion by US intelligence agencies that Russian forces massed on Ukraine’s eastern borders are increasingly likely to invade mainland Ukraine, only weeks after seizing Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to undermine the political legitimacy of a Ukrainian government that has shown itself insistent on aligning with the European Union rather than Russia. And that means derailing the May 25 election in which Ukraine will certainly choose a president who would pursue that European option. A successful election would unravel Putin’s argument that Viktor Yanukovych, who fled Ukraine last month into Russian exile, remains Ukraine’s legitimately elected president. Read more →