CSIS releases statement on U.S. strategy for Ukraine

WASHINGTON - A fully integrated and democratic Ukraine is important to U.S. national interests and requires a strong and sustained strategy, according to a new strategy statement released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies titled "Challenge and Opportunity: A U.S. Strategy on Ukraine."

"The United States should challenge Ukraine's leaders and society to undertake the policies and institutional changes necessary to become a full member of the Euro-Atlantic community, and should create every opportunity for Ukraine's leaders and society by removing outdated obstacles to progress," the statement notes according to a June 28 press release from CSIS.

According to "Challenge and Opportunity," the United States needs to create challenges and opportunities for Ukraine. Among the statement's recommendations:

• press the European Union to commit unambiguously to an Open Door for eventual Ukrainian EU membership;
  
  
• lead the implementation of NATO's Intensified Dialogue on Member Issues with Ukraine, with commitment to a Membership Action Plan following free and fair parliamentary elections in March 2006;
  
  
• promote regional democratic development and economic cooperation by supporting enhancement of the regional multilateral grouping of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova;
  
  
• support the development of stable and constructive Ukrainian relations with Russia;
  
  
• help Ukraine improve its energy independence, while relying on market mechanisms;
  
  
• free Ukraine from Jackson-Vanik Amendment restrictions and conduct intensified negotiations for Ukraine's World Trade Organization member in 2005; and
  
  
• designate Ukraine an eligible country of the Millennium Challenge Corporation so that it can compete for funds to help fight corruption, reduce bureaucratic obstacles to market reforms, and engage civil society in the country's social development.

The strategy statement is the result of collaborative efforts of Madeleine Albright, former U.S. secretary of state; James Baker III, former U.S. secretary of state; Zbigniew Brzezinski, former U.S. national security adviser and CSIS counselor and trustee; Frank Carlucci, former U.S. secretary of defense; CSIS President and CEO John Hamre; Henry Kissinger, former U.S. secretary of state and CSIS international counselor; and Brent Scowcroft, former U.S. national security advisor. Celeste Wallander, director of the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program and trustee fellow, directed the statement project.

"Challenge and Opportunity" further recommends that the United States and Ukraine should establish the bilateral review of progress in implementing the joint statement, "A New Century Agenda for the Ukrainian-American Strategic Partnership," as laid out by President George W. Bush and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on April 4. "[The statement] laid out an ambitious yet-well targeted plan for work in the coming years and in particular before the March 2006 elections so that recent democratic gains can be solidified," the report concludes.

The text of "Challenge and Opportunity: A U.S. Strategy on Ukraine" is available at http://csis.org/ruseura/050628_usandukraine.pdf.

An additional background paper on Ukraine is available at http://csis.org/ruseura/050628_050628_usstratonukraine.pdf. The paper, written by Ms. Wallander, provides further detail on the strategy statement's proposals and outlines the strategic rationale for a U.S. policy toward Ukraine in the coming year.

CSIS is an independent, nonpartisan policy research organization.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 3, 2005, No. 27, Vol. LXXIII

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