Ukraine´s multi-vectorial foreign policy: Looking west while not overlooking its Eastern neighbor

Abstract

Post-Soviet Ukraine has since the regaining of statehood in 1991 pursued an independent course, though its location conditioned to a great extent the contours of its foreign policy. In fact, whereas rapprochement with the West is very much valued, relations with Russia remain a central pillar in the Ukrainian construct. Thus, looking West while not overlooking its Eastern neighbor. In this context, how might Ukrainian authorities conciliate these different vectors in the country’s foreign policy? To which extent might the Orange Revolution principles strive in a difficult internal setting and complex external context? How far might Western influence and Russian interference affect Kiev’s foreign policy options? In searching answers to these questions, this paper aims at deconstructing the various circles in Kiev’s multi-vectorial foreign policy addressing the country’s foreign policy in an integrated way, where internal formulations condition and are conditioned by external options, shedding light over how these inter-linkages and inter-connections play in Ukrainian policy making and chosen path.