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Ukraine has formal relations with many nations and in recent decades has been establishing diplomatic relations with an expanding circle of nations. The foreign relations of Ukraine are guided by a number of key priorities outlined in the foreign policy of Ukraine.
Ukraine considers Euro-Atlantic integration its primary foreign policy objective, but in practice balances its relationship with Europe and the United States while attempting to sever its considerable ties to Russia. The European Union's Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Ukraine went into force on March 1, 1998. The European Union (EU) has encouraged Ukraine to implement the PCA fully before discussions begin on an association agreement. The EU Common Strategy toward Ukraine, issued at the EU Summit in December 1999 in Helsinki, recognizes Ukraine's long-term aspirations but does not discuss association. [1]
On January 31, 1992, Ukraine joined the then-Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (now the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe—OSCE), and on March 10, 1992, it became a member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Ukraine also has a close relationship with NATO and has declared interest in eventual membership. It is the most active member of the Partnership for Peace (PfP). Former President Viktor Yushchenko indicated that he supports Ukraine joining the EU in the future. Plans for Ukrainian membership to NATO were shelved by Ukraine following the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election in which Viktor Yanukovych was elected President. [1]
Yanukovych opted to keep Ukraine a non-aligned state. [2] This materialized on June 3, 2010 when the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada) excluded, with 226 votes, the goal of "integration into Euro-Atlantic security and NATO membership" from the country's national security strategy giving the country a non-aligned status. [3] [4] "European integration" has remained part of Ukraine's national security strategy and co-operation with NATO was not excluded. [4]
Ukraine then considered relations with NATO as a partnership. [5] [6] Ukraine and NATO continued to hold joint seminars and joint tactical and strategical exercises. [7] [8] After February 2014's Yanukovych ouster and the Russian annexation of Crimea, the nation has renewed its drive for NATO membership. [3] On 23 December 2014 the Verkhovna Rada abolished, with 303 votes, Ukraine's non-aligned status. [3]
In early 2024, following the 24 February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, a number of allies of Ukraine signed long-term bilateral security treaties with Ukraine for many years to come (often a period of 10 years). [9] They resulted from a declaration by the G7 countries at a NATO Summit in Washington on 12 July 2023, concluding the establishment of a framework of bilateral security agreements of long-term military, materiel and economic support for Ukraine's defence. [9] The bilateral agreements prioritised strengthening Ukrainian air defence systems, artillery, long-range strike capabilities, armour, and combat aviation to fend off Russian military aggression. [9]
Since then, another 30 countries have announced that they were ready to sign such long-term bilateral security agreements with Ukraine as well and are currently negotiating to do so. [9] As of October 2024, parties negotiating long-term bilateral security agreements with Ukraine included Montenegro [16] and South Korea. [17] 28 countries as well as the European Union had already concluded bilateral security treaties with Ukraine. [18]
Ukraine's relations with Russia had been complicated by energy dependence and by payment arrears. However, relations improved with the 1998 ratification of the bilateral Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. The two sides have signed a series of agreements on the final division and disposition of the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet that helped to reduce tensions. However, Ukraine cut diplomatic relations with Russia as a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [49]
Ukraine became a (non-official) member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 8, 1991. In January 1993 it refused to endorse a draft charter strengthening political, economic, and defense ties among CIS members, and completely ceased to participate as a member in March 2014. Ukraine was a founding member of GUAM (Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova).
In 1999–2001, Ukraine served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Soviet Ukraine joined the United Nations in 1945 as one of the original members following a Western compromise with the Soviet Union, which had asked for seats for all 15 of its union republics. Ukraine has consistently supported peaceful, negotiated settlements to disputes. It has participated in the quadripartite talks on the conflict in Moldova and promoted a peaceful resolution to conflict in the post-Soviet state of Georgia.
Leonid Derkach (chairman of the SBU, which is Ukraine's security service, successor to the KGB) was fired due to Western pressure after he organized the sale of radar systems to Iraq while such sales were embargoed. [50]
The 1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains un-ratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing border security.
Delimitation of the land boundary with Russia is incomplete, but the parties have agreed to defer demarcation. The maritime boundary through the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin allegedly declared at a NATO-Russia summit in 2008 that if Ukraine would join NATO his country can contend to annex the Ukrainian East and Crimea. As of April 2024, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula and partly four other regions of Ukraine: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. [51]
Starting in November 2013, the decision by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to back out of signing an integration agreement with the European Union started a period of civil unrest between Ukrainians who favored integration with the European Union and those who wanted closer ties with Russia. This culminated in the Revolution of Dignity. Russia took advantage of this political instability to annex Crimea in March 2014, though Ukraine still claims sovereignty over the territory by any kind of international law. Russia has also allegedly supported quasi-separatist forces in the war in Donbas. In December 2015 Russian hackers reportedly hacked Ukraine's power grids leading to a blackout and widespread terror.
On 24 February 2022, diplomatic relations were cut with Russia as a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [49]
Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region which remains under OSCE supervision.
Ukraine and Romania have settled their dispute over the Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and the Black Sea maritime boundary at the International Court of Justice. The 2010 CIA World Factbook states that "Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea". [52]
State enterprise InvestUkraine was created [53] under the State Agency for Investment and National Projects (National Projects) [54] to serve as a One Stop Shop for investors and to deliver investment consulting services.
Organization | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | December 1991 [55] | See Ukraine–European Union relations, Accession of Ukraine to the European Union The Eastern Partnership is meant to complement the Northern Dimension by providing an institutionalized forum for discussing visa agreements, free trade deals and strategic partnership agreements with the EU's eastern neighbours. |
![]() | 1945 [56] | See Economic Commission of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe |
![]() | 1991 [57] | See Ukraine–NATO relations, Partnership for Peace program, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council |
![]() | 21 December 1991 [58] | See Ukraine–Commonwealth of Independent States relations Ukraine is a signatory of both the Belovezh Accords and Alma-Ata Protocol; however, it has never ratified either agreement and has never been a member of the CIS.[ citation needed ] Largely ceased to participate in the CIS from 2014, and withdrew representatives from all CIS statutory bodies in 2018 as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian War. [59] |
Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 20 August 1992 [60] | See Algeria–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 3 March 2004 [60] |
|
![]() | 25 March 1992 [60] | |
![]() | 14 September 1995 [60] | See Central African Republic–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 23 July 1993 [60] | |
![]() | 25 January 1992 [60] | See Egypt–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 4 April 1992 [60] |
|
![]() | 12 February 2009 [60] | |
![]() | 5 May 1993 [60] | See Kenya–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | December 22 1998 [60] |
|
![]() | 30 September 1992 [60] | |
![]() | 16 March 1992 [60] | See South Africa–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 4 June 1992 [73] | See Sudan-Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 24 June 1992 [60] |
|
![]() | 7 September 1994 [60] | |
![]() | 22 April 1993 [60] | See Ukraine–Zambia relations
|
Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 6 January 1992 [76] | See Argentina–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 1 October 1999 [80] |
|
![]() | 8 February 1992 [82] |
|
![]() | 11 February 1992 [84] | See Brazil–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 27 January 1992 [88] | See Canada–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 12 March 1992 [91] |
|
![]() | 25 April 2019 [92] | |
![]() | 14 April 1999 [98] | See El Salvador–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 15 November 2001 [99] |
|
![]() | 17 September 2002 [76] |
|
![]() | 14 January 1992 [100] | See Mexico–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 21 May 1993 [103] |
|
![]() | 26 February 1993 [76] |
|
![]() | 7 May 1992 [76] |
|
![]() | 3 January 1992 [105] | See Ukraine–United States relations
|
![]() | 18 May 1992 [76] |
|
![]() | 29 September 1993 [109] | See Ukraine–Venezuela relations
|
Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 25 December 1991 [111] | See Armenia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 6 February 1992 [114] | See Azerbaijan–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 20 July 1992 [60] | See Bahrain–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 24 February 1992 [118] | See Bangladesh–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 3 October 1997 [118] | See Brunei–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 23 April 1992 | See Cambodia–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 4 January 1992 [118] | See China–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 22 July 1992 [124] | See Georgia–Ukraine relations Since their independence from the Soviet Union, both countries consider each other as strategic partners and have forged close political and cultural relations. During the Shevardnadze era, the Georgian government maintained its close relations with Ukraine. In April 1993, Georgia and Ukraine signed 20 documents, including a treaty on friendship and cooperation. [125] However, the relationship has further enhanced after Rose Revolution in Georgia and Orange Revolution in Ukraine. During the Orange Revolutions, many Georgians rallied in Kyiv in support of Viktor Yushchenko. Both countries maintain pro-western political orientation and aspire to join NATO and the European Union. The close friendship between Presidents Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yushchenko has also played an important role in recent political and cultural unity of the two countries. However, the cultural and political unity between two nations existed long ago. There are many cultural events in both courtiers, celebrating close relations between Georgian and Ukrainian people. In 2007, Georgians unveiled a statue to Taras Shevchenko in Tbilisi while Ukrainians erected the statue of Georgia's epic poet Shota Rustaveli in Kyiv. |
![]() | 17 January 1992 [118] | See India–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 11 June 1992 [118] | See Indonesia–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 22 January 1992 [126] | See Iran–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 16 December 1992 [60] | See Iraq–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 26 December 1991 [60] | See Israel–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 26 January 1992 [118] | See Japan–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 23 July 1992 [118] | See Kazakhstan–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 14 December 1992 [60] | See Lebanon–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 3 March 1992 [118] | See Malaysia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 19 January 1999 [138] | See Myanmar–Ukraine relations |
![]() | Diplomatic relations severed 13 July 2022 [139] [140] |
|
![]() | 16 March 1992 [118] | See Pakistan–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 2 November 2001 [60] | See Palestine–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 7 April 1992 [118] | See Philippines–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 14 April 1993 [60] | See Saudi Arabia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 31 March 1992 [118] | See Singapore–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 10 February 1992 [152] | See South Korea–Ukraine relations |
![]() | Diplomatic relations severed 30 June 2022 [60] [155] |
|
![]() | No official relationsDe facto relations [159] | See Taiwan–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 6 May 1992 [118] | See Thailand–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 3 February 1992 [161] | See Turkey–Ukraine relations Turkey and Ukraine have a long chronology of historical, geographic, and cultural contact. Diplomatic relations between both countries were established in the early 1990s when Turkey became one of the first states in the world to announce officially their recognition of sovereign Ukraine. |
![]() | 15 October 1992 | |
![]() | 25 August 1992 [118] | See Ukraine–Uzbekistan relations |
![]() | 23 January 1992 [118] | See Ukraine–Vietnam relations |
Ukraine and all UN member states in Europe, except Belarus and Kazakhstan, are members of the Council of Europe. [164]
Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 13 January 1993 [165] | See Albania–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 19 April 1996 [166] | See Andorra–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 24 January 1992 [167] | See Austria–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 27 December 1991 [166] | See Belarus–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 10 March 1992 [170] | See Belgium–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 30 January 1993 [171] | |
![]() | 13 December 1991 [174] | See Bulgaria–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 18 February 1992 [176] | See Croatia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 19 February 1992 [177] | |
![]() | 18 February 1992 [180] | See Czech Republic–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 12 February 1992 [181] | See Denmark–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 4 January 1992 [182] | See Estonia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 26 February 1992 [183] | See Finland–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 24 January 1992 [184] | See France–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 17 January 1992 [188] | See Germany–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 15 January 1992 [191] | See Greece–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 8 February 1992 [166] | See Holy See–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 3 December 1991 [192] | See Hungary–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 30 March 1992 [195] | |
![]() | 18 October 2022 [198] [199] |
|
![]() | 1 April 1992 [200] |
|
![]() | 29 January 1992 [204] | See Italy–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 12 February 1992 [207] | See Latvia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 6 February 1992 [166] | See Liechtenstein-Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 12 December 1991 [211] | See Lithuania–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 1 July 1992 [166] | See Luxembourg–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 5 March 1992 [215] | See Malta–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 27 December 1991 [216] | See Moldova–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 26 July 2007 [217] | |
![]() | 22 August 2006 [218] | See Montenegro–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 1 April 1992 [221] | See Netherlands–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 20 April 1995 [166] | See North Macedonia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 5 February 1992 [224] | See Norway–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 4 January 1992 [227] | See Poland–Ukraine relations
Both countries share a border of about 529 km. [230] Poland's acceptance of the Schengen Agreement created problems with the Ukrainian border traffic. On July 1, 2009, an agreement on local border traffic between the two country's came into effect. This agreement enables Ukrainian citizens living in border regions to cross the Polish frontier according to a liberalized procedure. [231] |
![]() | 27 January 1992 [232] | See Portugal–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 1 February 1992 [234] | See Romania–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | Diplomatic relations severed 24 February 2022 [235] [236] | See Russia–Ukraine relations Established relations in February 14,1992 Russia formerly had an embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa and Simferopol. Ukraine had an embassy in Moscow and consulates in Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Tyumen and Vladivostok. Relations between the two country's governments have been unfriendly since the presidency of Leonid Kuchma expired. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin allegedly declared at a NATO–Russia summit in 2008 that if Ukraine would join NATO his country could contend to annex the Ukrainian East and Crimea. [51] Some analysts believe that the current Russian leadership is determined to prevent a Russian equivalent of the Ukrainian Orange Revolution in Russia. This mindset is supposed to explain not only Russian domestic policy but its sensitivity over events abroad as well. [237] Many in Ukraine and beyond believe that Russia has periodically used its vast energy resources to bully its smaller, dependent neighbour, but the Russian Government argues instead that it is internal squabbling amongst Ukraine's political elite that is to blame for the deadlock. [238] Later, Putin stated that the government of the Russian Federation respects the sovereignty of Ukraine, while several Russian parliamentarians as well some governors were urging the liquidation of Ukraine. Starting in November 2013, the decision by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to back out of signing an integration agreement with the European Union started a period of civil unrest between Ukrainians who favored integration with the European Union and those who wanted closer ties with Russia, culminating in the Revolution of Dignity. Russia took advantage of this political instability to annex Crimea in March 2014, though Ukraine still claims sovereignty over the territory. Russia has also allegedly supported separatist forces in the war in Donbas. In December 2015, Russian hackers reportedly hacked Ukraine's power grids leading to a blackout and widespread terror. On 24 February 2022, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, which prompted Ukraine to break diplomatic ties with the country. [239] [240] |
![]() | 24 March 1995 [241] | See San Marino–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 15 April 1994 [242] | See Serbia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 30 January 1993 [243] | See Slovakia–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 10 March 1992 [247] | See Slovenia–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 30 January 1992 [251] | See Spain–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 13 January 1992 [254] | See Sweden–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 6 February 1992 [255] | See Switzerland–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 10 January 1992 [259] | See Ukraine–United Kingdom relations
Both countries share common membership of the Council of Europe, OSCE, Trilateral Security Pact, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a free trade agreement, a security agreement, [263] and a strategic partnership agreement. [264] |
Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 10 January 1992 [118] | See Australia–Ukraine relations |
![]() | 17 September 1999 [267] |
|
![]() | 3 March 1992 [118] | See New Zealand–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 27 September 2011 [271] | Ukraine is represented in the Solomon Islands by its embassy in Canberra, Australia. [272] |
![]() | 29 September 1999 [273] | Ukraine is represented in Vanuatu by its embassy in Canberra, Australia. [272] |
Bloc | Countries |
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Lublin Triangle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Association Trio | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
British–Polish–Ukrainian trilateral pact | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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