OPINION: Ukraine’s as the ‘Trump’ Card in the New Euro-Atlantic Order

Common suggestions are that the ability of the State as an actor of international relations in the context of war to create the necessary configuration of foreign policy cooperation and build the proper alliance relations can essentially ensure the ultimate victory in the war and become a factor in deterring potential aggressor countries from further\future hostilities.

Ukraine has signed multiple bilateral agreements and has received substantial alliance building within the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein). Partnerships and alliances have shown their own development with the progression of the war beginning in 2014 from almost non-existent to lukewarm to hot.   The concepts of “assistance,” “support,” “partnership,” and “interaction” can be used in different aspects, contexts, and meanings.

In such a situation, the role and support of the Euro-Atlantic community for Ukraine in the face of aggression also has a deeper, more existential meaning than it seems at first glance. Russia’s current war against Ukraine has an inter-civilizational character, lasting for more than a decade, which goes beyond the average duration of modern wars.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine and the unity of the Ukrainian nation are the components of national resilience that have inspired partners, allies, and supporters.  The motivation for their support is multidimensional. For example, the struggle of the liberal democratic part of the world against the spread of authoritarianism, one of the manifestations of which is the Russian Federation, is one of the reasons for the assistance to Ukraine from the Euro-Atlantic community.

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One can analyze all the diversity and multiplicity of mutually beneficial aspects of cooperation, ties, and contacts that have taken place between Ukraine and its allies, then, we can state with high probability that this format has created a solid foundation not only for unilateral international support for Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression but also significantly influenced the foreign policy strategies and behavior of Ukrainian allies in international politics. Ukraine has established itself as a strong international actor capable of being an outpost of defense of Western civilization against external threats to the Euro-Atlantic community for an extended period.

Although the massive offensive by Russian troops that began on Feb. 24 2022 drew much more pronounced condemnation from the international community than the annexation of Crimea and military intervention in Donbas in 2014-15, the initial amount of assistance to Ukraine from the United States, the United Kingdom, NATO, and the EU was insufficient.  The situation began to change only after the Ukrainian Armed Forces demonstrated their combat capability, which managed to stop and push Russian troops back from Kyiv.

Given the objective current geopolitical situation, Ukraine has no alternative to European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and cooperation with the Euro-Atlantic community is a mutually beneficial process.  It must be noted here that there is a lively debate among reputable Western experts and academic circles about Ukraine’s ability to wage a long-term existential war. “Ukraine has become a trigger for accelerating the formation of a new world order, thus intensifying the discourse in domestic and Western scientific and expert circles. In recent years, the discourse has focused not only on Ukraine’s geostrategic place in the modern world, mainly due to Russia’s war but also on the prospects for Ukraine’s integration into the future geopolitical space.  For example, the Presidential Decree establishing the International Working Group on Security Issues and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine contains the terms ‘Euro-Atlantic community’ and ‘Euro-Atlantic security space.’”

Further formation of the continental and European security systems will consider the geopolitical transformations taking place today. Ukraine’s role as the central defender of Europe’s eastern flank will only grow, and the EU, in turn, will become an outpost for defending NATO’s European flank.

The existential nature of Ukraine’s struggle for its preservation also necessitates a different perspective on all aspects of the assistance, support, interaction, and cooperation that has already been established between Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic community. For example, support for internally displaced persons from Ukraine to the EU in times of war is a strategic direction for preserving the gene pool of the Ukrainian nation. Support for war veterans, their social adaptation, international volunteer humanitarian activities, search and seizure of Russian assets around the world for their subsequent transfer to Ukraine, combating Russian propaganda, international sanctions against Russia, and so on are unique forms of assistance and support provided to Ukraine by Euro-Atlantic partners in times of war.

In conclusion, the Euro-Atlantic space is expanding to include Ukraine out of necessity for the future of the liberal democratic order even though some actors within this sphere are resistant to it such as Slovakia, Hungary and possibly Croatia given the recent election results.  Their collective loss is both Ukraine’s and the Euro-Atlantic Community’s gains.  Ukraine’s diversity, creativity and most importantly, bravery only add value to the community to which it aspires.  In a sense, a wise investment that President Trump and his Administration would be wise to take note of.  Ukraine is the “Trump” card in the future growth and expansion of a stable security and economic Euro-Atlantic Community.

(A more detailed statement of facts and references concerning the analyzed topic can be found in the article  «Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic Community: from Partnership and Integration to Cooperation and Alliance»  https://www.ukrpolitic.com/15-1/)

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.