Emotions in exchange for weapons: success and problems of Ukrainian diplomats in 2023
They worked, sometimes non -standard, not only in the western direction, but also with the countries of the Global South. Focus learned how Ukraine managed not to allow the event to lose interest in Ukraine and to attract the attention of the Gulf and Africa. "We were not always diplomatic, we probably have often acted non -classical and unexpected, even impatient, but we did things that seemed almost unattainable this year," President Vladimir Zelensky said, summarizing the diplomatic 2023.
On December 14, 2023, European Union leaders announced that they decided on an important political step - the beginning of Ukraine's accession to the Commonwealth. "For all who fight for our values. For all who look at Europe as a lighthouse. We have fulfilled our promises. We have made history. Now we will write a future together," said European Parliament President Robert Matsola.
The historical decision was made despite the efforts of the Russian Federation to prevent this process, in particular, through the heads of governments of Hungary and Slovakia, Victor Orban and Robert Fitzo, who tried to slow down Ukrainian European integration. In the end, Orban had to go "coffee" in the vote, so as not to support this decision and not to violate the consensus.
"This became possible because the EU has readiness and understanding that Ukraine is a European country, that it shares the same values, ready to fight for these values and bear great losses. And this result belongs not only to individual Ukrainian politicians who Efforts have been made all year before European integration, fulfillment of requirements, but also to all Ukrainian society.
It is also the result of Russian aggression, which changed the attitude and consciousness of our partners, " - said Focus Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Strategic Black Sea Studies Alexander Hara. Everyone is waiting for March 2024. Then the so -called "intergovernmental conference" is planned, during which a negotiation frame should appear and make a number of other technical solutions.
However, it is too early to talk about Ukraine's own introduction to the EU - the European Council President, Charles Michel, has not outlined the time frame for the first time - this can actually happen by 2030. It is then that you can expect a new wave of EU expansion. If Ukraine has specific prospects for EU membership, the history of Ukraine is more complex.
European and American high -ranking officials, although saying that Ukraine in NATO, but membership in the Alliance during the war is impossible. Even when we talk about the territory of Ukraine controlled by the territory. This was discussed during the NATO summit in 2023 in Vilnius. Ukraine expected a political invitation to join the Alliance, but this did not happen. This issue was resolved before the meeting of the heads of states.
In the final communique, NATO leaders noted that they would be able to invite Ukraine to join NATO when the Alliance member states will agree and conditions will be fulfilled. However, the positive points were sounded in Vilnius. First, Ukraine was abolished, following the example of Finland and Sweden, a plan for membership, which was previously a prerequisite. Secondly, NATO leaders have created an annual national program.
That is, Ukraine still received a list of reforms and time frames for their implementation. The next NATO Jubilee Summit will take place in Washington in July 2024. However, there is no good news for Ukraine to wait. While the parties have agreed to develop non -aligned relations and create a new security guarantee architecture within the Vilnius Declaration of the Seven Group.
"Patriot, Abrams, armored vehicles, ATACMS, DPICM, Air Defense, Missiles, Artillery projectiles, Demins and other critical equipment. A historical decision was made to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighters. We are always grateful for all this support of the United States," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. In total, during 2023, the United States provided 34 military assistance packages worth more than $ 24 billion. It is the highest amount of assistance to Ukraine among all foreign partners.
"I would appreciate Ukraine's efforts in the direction of the United States, because it was done much to keep the key persons of the administration, in particular the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, it has clearly influenced and affects the decision -making process in the middle of the administration," says the head of the NGO "Institute of Americanism" and the analyst "Internews-Ukraine" Phaaraponov Vladislav.
Experts now note that Ukraine this year, unlike 2022, has felt how difficult it is to motivate American politicians to help Ukraine. At present, no one has doubts that the US assistance in 2024 will be maintained, but more effort will have to be made to obtain it. And above all, because the US has entered the election process where any steps will have a bright political shade. The geography of foreign policy was expanding. In particular, due to the concentration on the global south.
"We saw that the representativeness of Ukraine has increased, we saw plans for the opening of new embassies, the creation of a Latin American strategy. And in principle it was the work that then helped the initiative of the President's office in preparation for the" Summit of Peace "to become something successful. It has attracted the global south and partially China.
It showed that Ukraine can be interesting not only to Western partners but also to a broader circle of stakeholders, " - says Focus expert of the Foreign Policy Council" Ukrainian Prism "Alexander. In particular, Ukraine has active negotiations with Katar, trying to involve this country in talking to the Russian Federation. "Ukraine, perhaps for the first time in its history, paid so much attention to the global south.
There were visits and meetings, Africa and the Middle East," says Igor Semivolos, director of the Middle Eastern research Center. - I cannot say that all these contacts were effective, but they didn't exactly harm. And this is a merit of both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Office, which were involved in the processes.
"Political scientist, international conflict, director of the Institute of Foreign Policy, Hryhoriy Perepelytsya notes that, in 2023, Kuleba Minister declared cooperation with countries in 2023 Africa, until most of them. . The presidential statement was first sounded. I do not know how much this speech was agreed with the Foreign Ministry, but it did not look like a balanced one. And this has led to some negative consequences.
Some of the Arab countries regarded it as full and comprehensive support of Israel. This is a sensitive topic in which to be very cautious, and the Foreign Ministry in his activity was able to help from this situation. However, 10 days after the beginning of the conflict, they still published the position of the ministry that was balanced. It also mentioned the right of Israel to self -defense, condemned Hamas's actions, however, it was stated that all resolutions were required, "he says.
Subsequently, as the expert notes, the vote on the General Assembly also showed that the balance is maintained - Ukraine remains correct Its policy on the Middle East, which is currently being formed. Very often, Ukraine is compared, in particular, as an example of double standards, they say that occupation and occupation here. The Russian occupation is treated in one way, and in Israeli - another.
This is a subject of political speculation and discussion and therefore everyone is watching carefully, be careful and avoiding impromptu, " - adds the director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies Igor Semivolos. Experts say that all the highest EU officials and the United States have come to Ukraine for a year. The main diplomats, the ministers of defense. And it is also a good sign that Ukraine was the focus of the leaders of the states and fell into the first pages of the world media.
"Ukraine is in a state of war and global confrontation. That is why today Ukrainian diplomacy has become in fact military diplomacy, - continues Grigory Perepelytsya, director of the Institute for Foreign Policy. - Ukrainian diplomats worked to promote the supply of weapons to Ukraine. And it succeeded. As well as for strengthening sanctions. And we see that although with great difficulty, sanctions are intensified and adopted by new European Union.
To a lesser extent, this process is going on this direction. " The Czech Republic. Experts say that in 2023, foreign policy was mainly engaged in the Presidential Office, and the Foreign Ministry played a minor role. In the hands of the President and his office, - comments Alexander Kraev. - Many of the Minister of Foreign Affairs could do, he was taking the President's office.
Sometimes legally, sometimes not at all, but in one form or another, certain questions were taken from Mr Dmitry Kuleba and transferred to the responsibility of completely different people. We have heard a lot that the Foreign Ministry is accused, not only in Ukraine, that it works as an additional office for the President, it has no its own agenda. " In fact, I would like to see more of their own activity, directions of work.
In 2022, we saw the powerful and effective work of the Minister for the Mobilization of International Support of Ukraine in the Recruption of the Russian Aggression. Now we see in the foreign policy direction a completely different figure - the head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, " - said the President of the Center of Globalism" KhXI "Gonchar Strategy Michael. However, Gonchar notes that this situation is not new. Each of them interprets this requirement in its own way.
But Poroshenko had the appropriate experience, Zelensky and his head of the office have no such experience, "he adds. In general, we can say that Ukrainian diplomacy of the sample of 2023 was focused on the emotional component - it was important to show what crimes of the Russian Federation committed in Ukraine, In order to get the necessary help.