Is Ukraine set to come back under the Kremlin's wing?

[Zbyszek]

Originally Posted by nickcsadler

and do you not think that is why the west funded the orange revolution???

And I am sure that Orange Revolution became an important and positive experience and recent peaceful presidential elections in Ukraine showed how much Ukraine changed. Now, Ukraine is stronger, better prepared for democracy and not as bitterly divided as before Orange Revolution times. Paradoxically, I believe that Ukraine can thrive also when Yanukovich wins because he himself drew his own profit from the Orange times. His presidency would be stronger, better explained now. For me, the dependence of Ukraine on Russia is much less visible now.

[StormAU]

Originally Posted by nickcsadler

and do you not think that is why the west funded the orange revolution???

Well said Nick, all to often people only see one side and totally disregard all other realities simply because it doesn;t sit with their own personal world view.

Does anyone really believe the EU (symbolising the west) was going to be any better than Russia? What if, God forbid, Russia did launch an invasion of Ukraine do you think the EU would come to its aid? They couldn't even come to an agreement over Iraq, what would they do with a country like Russia? The EU needs a stable Ukraine/Russia relationship, they wont jeopardise that in any way. Mainland EU countries are to over reliant on Russian energy to go against Russia for the benefit of Ukraine.

[Bunky]

Hello Zbyszek!

How are you?

I do not know if you remember me. We had a discussion on this forum in 2003 about Uzhgorod and Przemysl, and you were very kind to make a reservation for me at the Youth Hostel in Konin. Maybe you are interested to know that I went to Slovakia after Uzhgorod and I met a woman in Košice and after a couple of years we got married and we now have a child, almost 3 years old.

I see that you are still very active here! I will be going through the Ukraine in the summer (2010) so I will be posting some questions.

Cheers,
Franz-Erik

[Zbyszek]

Originally Posted by Bunky

Hello Zbyszek!

How are you?

I do not know if you remember me. We had a discussion on this forum in 2003 about Uzhgorod and Przemysl, and you were very kind to make a reservation for me at the Youth Hostel in Konin. Maybe you are interested to know that I went to Slovakia after Uzhgorod and I met a woman in Košice and after a couple of years we got married and we now have a child, almost 3 years old.

I see that you are still very active here! I will be going through the Ukraine in the summer (2010) so I will be posting some questions.

Cheers,
Franz-Erik

Oh yes Erik, now I remember you and it makes me so glad that you still remember my insignificant service for you. So you finally found a woman of your life in Slovakia? Really life is unpredictible and it is so nice to hear that you set up a family and that you grow in number! Please accept my congratulations and best wishes!
A moment ago, I made longer composition but one my malicious key ruined my typing work so I have to cool down and stop cursing before I can continue.
In fact, I am not really active now and I long those passionate historical debates we had eight to five years ago. Happily, I have a circle of good, proven friends here and it is always a pleasure to drop in and leave a word of greeting. I will try to write a bit more later. So long Bunky!

[Zbyszek]

Hi Bunky, I really miss times between 2002 and 2005 in this forums. There were serious, deep, even if rabid, historical disussions here and some of forumers (Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Canadian) displayed impressive level of knowledge and passion in their contributions. There was also friendly air and pleasant relaxing general discussions. I would like to pay my post-mortem tribute to at least two outstanding ukraine.com members: Johnstruthers(Vanya) and AndrewBlow.
And I believee that better times are coming for Ukraine now. I remember that during the reign of president Kuchma Ukraine was more divided and less ready to implement democracy. I fully realize extent of poverty many Ukrainians still suffer and enormous extent of corruption, but when I compare Belarus and Ukraine, I can see that Ukrainian nation has so many more chnces to prosper that Belarussin one.
Moreover, I can see much progress in how my ordinary countryman thinks about his/her Ukrainian neighbour and I attribute it much to Orange Times. Ukraine's relations with her direct western and eastern neighbouring states is gradually switching from old-complex-based approach to partnership and well calculated national interest.
P.S. I passed Kosice a few times on my summer journeys to Hungary. Historically it used to be a part of Austro-Hungarian Empire and it used to be known more under Hungarian name Kassa then. I believe Slovak people experience good times now, even given last world economy slump. Meciar times are over and his successors made a lot of good work in the field of economic reforms. From Polish point of view, it is somewhat surprising that after the euro was introduced in Slovakia last year, we have more Slovak tourists in the Polish part of picuresque Tatra mountains. Slovakia became an expensive country on one day Jan.1, 2009 for Polish tourists at least.
Bunky I am glad that , because of your wife, you have become evn more tied to Slavic world.

[leonidas]

Well, it's the final countdown for the 2010 Presidential Election in Ukraine. This Sunday Ukrainian voters will chose their next president. Will it be an odious former PM Viktor Yanukovich who was officially backed by the Kremlin in 2004 and tarnished his political reputation by using his de jure political power to rig the 2004 presidential election? Btw, the law suit against Mr. Yanukovich never made it to the Supreme Courte. Will it be another nevertheless odious incumbent PM Yulia Tymoshenko who drove Ukraine's economy to the brink of collapse by using command-control approach and choking individual economic freedom? Btw, the Kremlin considers Mrs. Tymoshenko the second BFF (after Mr. Yanukovich) since she can take all credits for the recent gas deal between Russia's state-owned Gazprom and Ukraine. According to the newly signed gas contract, among all European countries, Ukraine will pay the highest price for the Russian gas. So both candidates are pro-Kremlin, right?