Relations between Visegrad states ans Ukraine: a "two speed"central Europe

Abstract

Students of Central Europe usually tend to distinguish the Poland’s proactive foreign policy toward Ukraine and contrast it to respective policies of the rest of three Visegrad states (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary). This paper analyzes interactions between Visegrad states and Ukraine at political, economic and social levels, and proposes a new concept of a “twospeed” Central Europe. This concept suggests that after the Orange Revolution Poland and Hungary have developed a considerably closer political and economic relationship with Ukraine, while Slovakia and the Czech Republic have adopted a more cautious approach.