E.U. or Bust
After the people of France rejected the E.U.'s proposed constitution during a nationwide referendum in May, the Dutch followed suit a few days later with an even wider margin of votes. Since then, Poland has indefinitely delayed its poll. So what does this mean for Ukraine, whose new president has staked so much on leading the country westward? Unlike his predecessor Leonid Kuchma, who waffled on about European integration for years, Viktor Yushchenko and the Orange Revolution that brought him to power have conducted an unmistakably pro-European policy.
The UO asked its list of 400 Plus opinion leaders what they thought of the matter. Most believe Ukraine should be in the E.U. and that it will end up there sooner or later anyway. As far as the country's other regional affiliations, respondents were split on ties with Russia, while a majority favored membership in GUUAM.
Relations between Moscow and former republics like Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have dampened in recent years, with everything from military agreements to contracts for fossil fuels coming into question. Prosperous and democratic Europe has offered an alternative, inviting members of the former Warsaw Pact and even a few ex-Soviet republics into its fold. But now the Europeans themselves might be having second thoughts.
Well over half of our respondents believe that Europeans have a negative image of Ukraine. Almost all said that it's Ukrainians or the Yushchenko administration who are most interested in Ukraine joining the E.U. However, our poll could determine no single reason for Ukraine joining or not joining the E.U.
Yes 38.5 %
No 26.9 %
Maybe 34.6 %
Uncertain 0 %
Yes, soon 7.7 %
Yes, some day 65.4 %
No, never 15.4 %
Can't tell yet 11.5 %
Definitely 15.4 %
For now at least 30.8 %
Maybe 3.8 %
No 50 %
For sure 19.2 %
Probably 38.5 %
No 38.5 %
Never 3.8 %
Yes 61.5 %
No 11.5 %
Not yet 7.7 %
Maybe 19.2 %
Russia 19.2 %
USA 11.5 %
EU 65.4 %
Other 3.8 %
Trade 11.5 %
Security 7.7 %
Investment 11.5 %
All of above 69.2 %
Energy resources 15.4 %
Might spoil ties with Russia 23.1 %
Culture, history 23.1 %
Other 38.5 %
Yushchenko administration 42.3 %
Europeans 3.8 %
Ukrainians 53.8 %
USA 0 %
Brotherly nation 3.8 %
Post Soviet charity case 46.2 %
Threat of crime, nuclear disaster 23.1 %
None of the above 26.9 %
|
