Strategic partnership as a goal. Strategic partnership as a value.
Alliances and coalitions changed the world since its early beginning. Our ancestors fought and won only united as organized groups. Since the old times, unity between different families, dukedoms, and nations was the most powerful weapon that help to achieve their goals.
Ukrainians have a long history of coalitions that helped or hurt our national goals. The Varangians helped to develop a statehood in Ukraine, Crimean Tatars, Poles and Swedes helped to fight the Russians. Russians forced Ukrainians into a partnership to fight Poles. Germans helped to fight Russians (Communists). And here were come to the understanding that Ukraine never established strategic partnership but situational, except inviting the Varangians. This fact brings us to the understanding of why it took us so much time to establish a prosperous Independent State.
Since forming as a political nation in 2014 during and after the days of the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine started to develop long-term partnerships mostly in Europe to protect our country from Russian military threat. This process was headed by diplomatic and cultural means as well as common interests regarding Russian policies in the world. However, we managed to keep and develop relations with only one strategic partner that we had for ages — the USA.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has changed the world completely. This war brought the people of Europe to a new reality and new challenges. From my perspective among European countries, we choose the most unreliable partners (even though they are the most powerful in the EU) Germany and France. Both these two countries have strong both business and political ties with Russia, which can not make them a strategic but only a situational partner in the region. This was proved multiple times during the last 60 days of the war when we saw that President Macron would rather talk to Putin than to Ukrainian President Zelensky. As well as the fact that German Chancellor Scholz blocked military aid to Ukraine and other economic measures that were taken to stop the Russian war in Ukraine. Although Ukrainians are in love with Bayraktar and recognize Turkey as the partner of Ukraine, I would rather call it the temporary decision of the Turkish President. Recall, that Turkey (Ottoman Empire) committed genocide against the Armenian people in 1915, which is not recognized by Ukraine as a genocide (as well as Famine in Armenia). Turkey kill military and civilian Kurds in Syria, Iraq, and its territory, which is similar to genocide and led to several military restrictions from the US side. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a gifted politician with the ancient wisdom of the sultan. His politics are a mix of cunning and cold-blooded business. That is why he’s well recognized and respected by Mr. Putin who finds a lot of common characteristics in the Turkish president.
This brings us to the understanding that our partners should be Independent not by the legal definition but by the fact. It turned out that President Zelensky choose a very wise strategy of communication with the different Parliaments around the world. Not only in Europe, but all over the globe, and that is a 100% wise decision. The list of countries is not random but all of them were chosen due to their specific characteristics.
UK — the state that has a deep history of colonial wars and experience in battles and strategies all over the world. Unites in one Kingdom a few different nations and forms of statehood. The UK has a long story of fighting with a separatist movement inside the country which successfully was resolved with the Good Friday Agreement. Zelensky’s video call to members of the British Parliament was the first speech by a foreign leader in the House of Commons. The parliamentarians gave him a standing ovation.
Norway, Sweden, Finland — these countries are united in my story by the territorial attribute as North European countries with a high level of the economy, military industry achievements, and energy resources. As well as three of these countries recognize the Russian threat seriously since the Terror state has had its interests in the region since Soviet times.
Israel — for the last 70 years this State is fighting a cancer tumor of terrorism on its body (that was raised by KGB in the late 1960-s). During these decades American government helped and supported the development of the Israeli military-industrial complex. This eventually brought the State to the list of the top world’s military industries. The economy of such a small state is based on IT, agriculture, and military industry, which makes it similar to modern Ukraine.
South Korea — is a great example where the Russian proxy opponent became not only a marginal state hermit but security and potential nuclear threat to the region. As well as a good illustration of what happens when the US strategic partner fights for its statehood first and then raises its economy from the ashes.
Australia — is the 6th biggest country in the world. It has the world’s thirteenth-largest economy, tenth-highest per capita income, and eighth-highest Human Development Index. Australia is a regional power and has the world’s thirteenth-highest military expenditure. What is more important, Australia has a large experience in the integration of the local tribes into modern society.
Japan — is a great power and a member of numerous international organizations, including the United Nations (since 1956), the OECD, the G20, and the Group of Seven. the country maintains Self-Defense Forces that rank as one of the world’s strongest militaries. After WW II, Japan experienced record growth in an economic miracle, becoming the second-largest economy in the world by 1972 but has stagnated since 1995 in what is referred to as the Lost Decades. Japan has one of the world’s highest life expectancies, though it is experiencing a decline in population
All of the above mentioned countries are united by a few characteristics that make them a perfect strategic partners for Ukraine:
- Strong regional power
- Developed economy
- Top military industries of the world
- Most of them recognize Russia as a threat to its severity or security. Israel — Russian military base in Syria and cooperation with Iran; UK — Russian navy and jets multiple times were trespassing for the last few years; Norway/Sweden/Finland — territorial disputes with Russia, trespassing; South Korea — the war started because of the USSR, Russia is one among very few countries that support the Kim John-un regime; Japan — territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands;
- Russian economy has no influence on these countries
- No political or corrupt ties with Russian oligarchs
- Nuclear technologies and weapons are possessed by these countries.
In the conclusion, I would like to point out that a strong Ukraine, a part of the Western civilization may appear very fast after the victory over the Russian dictatorship regime. But the economic growth and industrial development will be tied to the strategic partnership that we will establish during this and the next 2 years maximum.
I do believe that Ukraine has no need for NATO at the moment. Ukraine has to become a new role model for forming the next generation of the world’s powers based on the sauce of the IT/agriculture/’green energy’/military industry/army. This new Union will be based on the Extraterritoriality, common values, and strategies for the next 50 years with declared five-year plans. I would call it The Union of Independents.
