The "New Europe" pressures the "Old"

Despite strong opposition from the old vanguard of Europe (headed by France and Germany), both Ukraine and Georgia were promised eventual membership in the organization--certainly a victory for the two nations in the long-term. They did not receive the MAPs they came for at this particular summit, although it is thought that this may occur as soon as December. Ukraine and Georgia should thank Poland, the Baltic States, and the Czech Republic (part of the so-called "New Europe") for forcing the compromise from Western statesmen reluctant to disrupt the old "balance of power" in Europe or upset an irritable Russia. Indeed, it was by and large a successful summit for America and its eastern allies, whose old grudges compel them to occasionally push a Russian button or two: they also managed to wrangle unanimous support for Bush's pet project, a system of missile shields to be officially included as a component of NATO defense.

Bush swings by Ukraine; NATO membership unlikely

President Bush paid a visit to Kiev Tuesday to provide encouragement for Ukrainian NATO aspirations before today's summit of the military alliance in Bucharest. The American President has been a constant and vocal supporter of Ukraine's pro-Western government under Yushchenko, recently working at a new trade agreement between America and the young Eastern European democracy. Advocacy on Ukraine's behalf has been a big diplomatic gamble for Bush, threatening the success of sensitive talks with Putin later this week about the proposed missile-defense system in Eastern Europe. Bush highlighted Ukraine's proven commitment to international peace and justice efforts, referencing the presence of Ukrainian troops alongside NATO forces in Kosovo and Afghanistan. "Ukraine is the only non-NATO nation supporting every NATO mission."

Russia--Europe's main oil supplier, let's not forget--has made no secret of its opposition to NATO membership for Ukraine (as well as nearby Georgia). Nine former Soviet republics have already been integrated into NATO ranks, bringing the military influence of the West suffocatingly close to Russia's borders and adding to the Kremlin's growing sense of isolation. Putin's government has scathingly referred to NATO as a relic of Cold War days, now floundering for meaning. (For an understanding of the Russian perspective, take a look at this article.)

The issue is further complicated by the divided opinion of Ukraine's own population. Only one-third of Ukrainians (and those mostly ethnic Ukrainians) gave their support to NATO in a recent poll. Other groups, such as the (pro-Russia) Party of Regions and the (pro-USSR) Communist Party of Ukraine, have led large protests against joining NATO.

President Yushchenko spoke words of optimism about Ukraine's chances in contradiction to his dejected demeanor. But dejection was probably the appropriate response, considering that France and Germany have both expressed their disinclination to bring Ukraine and Georgia into the alliance, citing the negative pressure that would create on already strained ties between Russia and the West. Putin's position as summit guest-of-honor will do nothing to ease these diplomatic concerns. Since NATO reaches decisions by a consensus vote, even one opposed member could destroy Ukrainian ambitions.

Following the commencement of talks today, a NATO spokesman said that Ukraine and Georgia will most likely not be receiving a membership action plan this time around.

All this coincides with a resolution passed by the Russian legislature today, stating that the the 1930s famine that killed 3 million in Ukraine was not the result of a Soviet plot to exterminate the Ukrainians. The famine (which included other regions of the USSR) was doubtless caused by the grain confiscation of Stalin's collectivization policy. Historians still argue, however, whether this policy was aimed at the elimination of private property or an ethnic group. Yushchenko has been lobbying for the tragedy to receive internationally-recognized status as "genocide". The Russian government denounced such posturing and revealed a notable paranoia that the West might use this to their own geopolitical advantage. Even the 89-year-old Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the infamous Soviet dissident, shares the Kremlin stance: "[Western governments] have never understood our history, all they need is a ready fable, even if it is an insane one."

Ukrainian tragedy in waters around Hong Kong

For two days now, Ukrainians have been awaiting news of the fate of 18 of their countrymen who sank 35 meters to the bottom of a Hong Kong seabed, along with their vessel. On Saturday, March 22, the Ukrainian tugboat Naftogaz-67 somehow collided with a Chinese cargo ship (neither weather nor cargo overload currently appear to be factors). Only seven of the tugboat crew were apparently able to escape, while the Chinese vessel sustained only minor damage and all its men are safe. The faintest of hope still remains for the other sailors--they could possibly have survived within an air pocket in the hull--but so far no signals have been heard and divers are unable to enter the wreck until it's moved to shallower waters.

The tugboat had been cited for safety issues back in 2003. Documents presented by the Hong Kong Marine Dept. suggest that the Naftogaz-67 lacked an emergency escape route and breathing apparatuses, while the sailors on board do not seem to have received proper safety training.

Migration

Here is an interesting article covering the gamut of migration issues in Ukraine, of which there are many. Although certainly there is a troubling outflow of Ukrainians from the country (legally and through a booming traffic in prostitution and sex slaves), this is offset by a considerable amount of immigration to this state, sandwiched between two of the greatest economic powers in the world--the E.U. and Russia. Much of this immigration goes unrecorded. Migrants from Africa and Asia pay (often exorbitant) fees to be sneaked into the no-borders European Union, but sometimes they're dropped off in Ukraine and left to decide on their own whether and how they want to get into one of the adjacent Schengen countries.

Bias against immigrants is also evident on the street. There were over 35 racially-motivated attacks reported in first five months of 2007 alone, and this number is continuing to grow. The actual number of incidents is probably far higher--many are simply too afraid to report the violence due to the purportedly unsympathetic reaction of the police force.

Political rigamarole (+ rap)

If the Ukrainians were hoping for national solidarity after the Orange Revolution, then they must be sorely disappointed by the haphazard conglomeration of political "blocs" now struggling for control.

The Ukrainian parliament is currently stuck in a deadlock over starting the NATO membership process (specifically, whether a referendum should be held first) and has consequently been in recess for over a month. In such a situation, the President does have the right to dismiss the parliament and hold new elections, but Yushchenko would be loathe to do so considering the increasing influence of his political rivals.

Primary among these is the remarkably attractive, sometime oil oligarch Yulia Tymoshenko, who is now Prime Minister and the head of a three-party coalition in the parliament which bears her name. Just last year Tymoshenko and Yushchenko agreed to join forces to form a governing majority against the pro-Russia Party of Regions. They had, after all, both been crucial players in the Orange Revolution. The agreement has proved quite tenuous, however, and at times the two figures initiate contradictory legislation and offer opposing viewpoints on major political issues (most recently, they sparred over the role of intermediary companies in Russia-Ukraine oil relations).

The left-populist Party of Regions, although it certainly endured a setback after the revolution, has recovered well. Naturally, this is the party of choice in the southeastern region of the country, where numerous ethnic Russians make a living near the Dunbas mines. They had the best performance of all the parties and blocs in the 2006 election, with some 32% of the vote, and and the same occurred in 2007, when they received 34%.

Here's a multi-colored representation of the current Ukrainian parliament (for my far-sighted readership: click on it and you'll actually be able to read it):


Recently Yushchenko's Chief of Staff, Baloha, resigned his membership in the President's Our Ukraine bloc. The party's popularity has dropped off dramatically since coming to power, amid scandal and serious questions about whether numerous mini-parties that constitute the bloc can actually unite. It is speculated that Baloha will attempt the formation of a new centrist party, one that could actually secure Yushchenko's re-election in 2010. Although few politicians so quickly abandon the organizations they themselves founded, it is probably a wise move. According to one survey, a mere 10% of the Ukrainian electorate would be willing to vote for the Our Ukraine bloc if an election were suddenly to be held (compare that with 30% for the Tymoshenko bloc and 23% for the Party of Regions).

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On an entirely unrelated and slightly more risqué note, here's a video of Seryoga, who is without a doubt the most successful rapper in the Russian-speaking world and a resident of the increasingly flashy Ukrainian capital, Kyiv (or "Kiev", for the uncultured). Coming from a very working-class Belorussian neighborhood, he has risen to become an award-winning artist and, more importantly, the composer of the most popular ring tone in Russia. This video is especially noteworthy for its trio of comely women, wearing fur hats and very little else. (And who could resist?)

The Epic Search for a Famous Ukrainian (or even a Half-Ukrainian)

If you wander through various lists of "Famous Ukrainians" gathered on the internet, a couple of facts will immediately become apparent.

1. You have never heard of any of these people.
2. Those people you have heard of (the brilliant Soviet-era composer Prokofiev...the witty, yet disturbed Gogol...the beautiful young actress Milla Jovovich...the former Prime Minister of Israel, Golda Meir) were born in Ukraine, but are not of Ukrainian descent and eventually emigrated elsewhere.

That said, there are a few Ukrainians (or, at least, semi-Ukrainians) that the average American may have encountered at some point in their life (a high standard, I am aware):

• If nothing else, Ukraine can lay claim to the world's tallest living man. Leonid Stadnyk is a whopping 2.59 meters tall and still growing. Here's some photo ops the Ukrainian president managed to snag with him. Speaking of which...
  
• Viktor Yushchenko, currently the President of Ukraine, became among the more famous Eastern European heads of state after his infamous poisoning, supposedly by the pro-Russia political opposition.
• The great Tchaikovsky was Ukrainian on his father's side.
• Ruslana, the winner of the 2004 Eurovision contest, has had a few hit songs popular across Europe. She was apparently also, briefly, a member of the Ukrainian parliament...
• For sports fans, it's worth noting that the third highest goalscorer in the history of the European football club is none other than Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko, now playing for Chelsea.
  
• There are a number of famous actors whose parents or grandparents came from Ukraine, although they were not necessarily ethnically Ukrainian: Steven Spielberg, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Palance, Walter Matthau, Alex Trebek. Also of note: the Gershwin brothers.
  
• General Secretary of the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev was also born in the country, to a Russian father and a Ukrainian mother. Considering Brezhnev's infamously limited mental capacity, no country would probably care to claim him--although, in all fairness, he had some stellar eyebrows. (See above photograph for empirical evidence.)
  

A lot of numbers

Here, for rapid modern consumption, are the basic numerical facts about Ukraine:

The population stands at about 42.3 million people, with 78% of those claiming to be ethnically Ukrainian, 17% Russian (concentrated to the south and east), and the remainder coming primarily from neighboring countries. However, expect this number to decrease, as Ukrainians (like most Europeans) are not reproducing as fast as they're dying and there is not enough immigration to counteract this declining fertility rate.

Religion is a somewhat complicated subject, since there are several different sects of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, in addition to those people who consider themselves Orthodox but who refuse to jump on the specific affiliation bandwagon. There are also Jewish populations, protestant and Catholic groupings, and a sizable chunk of people who still haven't forsaken the spiritual simplicity of old-fashioned Soviet atheism.

Language is also a complex matter. Ukrainian is the official language, with about 67% claiming it as their first language. However, there are quite a few such people who nevertheless use Russian for everyday public affairs (and there are about 24% who openly claim it as their primary tongue). Another 9% of the population speak various other Eastern European languages.

The Ukrainian economy is chugging along at a (very relative) good pace. GDP growth was 7% for 2007 and this trend is expected to continue--if the government doesn't backtrack on its new laissez-faire economic policies. Some of this new financial strength is due to high demand for steel, Ukraine's main export. Other important exports include the typical Soviet-style mix of fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, and food (grain, sugar beets, etc.). Industry is continuing to expand at about 6%.

None of this is to say that Ukraine is a just a bed of roses, risqué nightclubs, and borscht. Over a third of the population is living in poverty. And although the government puts unemployment at an impressive 2.5%, the Intl. Labor Organization would pin it at a much more realistic 7%. GDP per capita is only about $6,900 (compare the UK at $35,300 ; Russia at $14,600; and Romania at $11,100). Furthermore, there's a negative trade balance to be dealt with and many Western countries worry about Ukraine's economic reliance on its moody primary partner: Russia.

For the curious among you, the currency of Ukraine is the hryvnia. Who knew. But don't belittle the hryvnia, just because you've neither heard of it nor would even attempt to pronounce it. At 5 hryvnia to the dollar, it's doing much better than Russia's ruble, which, on a good day, can be traded for about 4 cents.