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I know most people think about Ukraine as much as they think about the Congressional Page Program (that analogy would have worked better two weeks ago), but there was an interesting open letter that appeared in the Washington Post today penned by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. In the letter, Mr. Yanukovych expressed his personal, his party's and his country's commitment to pursuing ever closer ties with the West and with Western insitutions. This letter, and the unity government Mr. Yanukovych's Party of Regions has formed with the leader of the Orange Revolution, Viktor Yushchenko, indicates a clear sign that the backsliding that has afflicted Russia may not spill over to its neighbor.
You may remember two years ago when Ukraine was gripped by political turmoil following an election battle between Messrs. Yushchenko and Yanukovych in the winter of 2004-2005. During that time, the leaders of the Orange Revolution rightly accused Mr. Yanukovych's party of massive voter fraud and essentially stealing an election. The turmoil involved the opposing forces of Mr. Yushchenko's Our Ukraine, a Western-leaning party composed principally of Ukrainian speakers, and Mr. Yanukovych's Party of Regions, a party whose power base was located in the Russian speaking east and was actively backed by Vladimir Putin. Eventually, amid continuing street protests, Yanukovych was forced to capitulate and Our Ukraine became the party of power.
In his open letter to America, Mr. Yanukovych appears to have made an about-face in his view of the West. Rather than look to Russia for inspiration, the leader of the Party of Regions has sworn fealty to the democratic and free-market institutions of the West. Tellingly, he writes:
ยท Economic reform. Our citizens have been left behind by the economic "shock therapy" and subsequent wave of prosperity that has swept over Eastern Europe since 1989. We have seen what lowering taxes, securing private prosperity and liberalizing trade have done for our neighbors in Europe. Our government is going to be pro-business and committed to building an economy that will be competitive in world markets. Our first step on this path will be passage of legislation required for entry into the World Trade Organization.
The affirmation of Western ideals by a former Russo-phile is a welcome development. It shows a broad-based commitment on the part of Ukraine to separate itself from the declining fortunes of backsliding Russians. It shows a desire among Ukrainians to hitch their wagon to institutions that work: namely free-markets and pluralist democracy. Notwithstanding the turmoil wrought by the Orange Revolution and the political infighting that has since taken place, there is a hopeful air about the former Soviet 'Republic' where a consensus is forming around the benefits of capitalism and democracy. Let us hope that the optimistic tone set by the Yanukovych letter will bear fruit in the future as Ukraine continues to distance itself from Russia and pushes toward greater cooperation with NATO, the EU and the WTO.
-Matthew
UPDATE: Of course, Mr. Yanukovych's political opponents don't believe the hype. According to some supporters of the Orange Revolution, despite his grand words to the United States media, Mr. Yanukovych is an unreformed apparatchik that is putting the brakes on accession to NATO and the WTO.
UPDATE 2: I just realized that posting an entry about Ukraine gives me a chance to revisit our favorite opposition leader in the free world: Yulia Tymoshenko who obviously has a high opinion of herself. On her own website, she writes:
"Democracy has suffered a setback. The only bright spot now is Yulia Tymoshenko."
