Ukraine on the international arena

Ukraine conducts weighted, consistent and goal-oriented foreign policy; therefore, the main directions of its foreign policy on the whole remain invariable since the time when independence was proclaimed in 1991.

Ukraine consistently and steadily builds its foreign policy on the basis of strict adherence to principles of international law, UN Charter and other international legal acts. Such position of our country is confirmed in “Basic Directions of Foreign Policy of Ukraine” approved by the Verkhovna Rada on July 2, 1993. This is a conceptual document based on which Ukraine’s foreign policy develops.

At this stage the following three main directions of Ukraine’s foreign policy can be singled out:

1. Development of bilateral interstate relationships;

2. European integration;

3. Multilateral diplomacy.

There are two priorities of Ukrainian diplomacy in bilateral relationships:

· relationships with neighbour countries;

· relationships with strategically important partners and influential countries of the world.

European integration first of all means the following:

– further political and institutional rapprochement with EU and evolutional advancement to the ultimate goal of integration of Ukraine to EU;

– adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to those of EU and Council of Europe as a key integration element;

– intensification of relationships of Ukraine with NATO as one of the components of the overall system of European stability and safety.

The following priorities of foreign policy can be singled out regarding of multilateral diplomacy:

– maintenance of effective participation of the country in activities of international organizations;

– establishment of effective regional and subregional cooperation, increase of the role of Ukraine in regional and subregional organizations, forums and associations.

Сomplete the following sentences.

After the renaissance of independent Ukraine on January 22, 1918, ______was adopted, by a law of March 22, 1918, as the national device of the Ukrainian National Republic (the trident, the flag, the coat of arms and the seal).

The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine is the sole ______ authority (executive, legislative).

The Ukrainian political system has a popularly elected President, a _______-person single-chamber national Parliament − the Verkhovna Rada (450, 460, 545, 550).

Match the words.