著者

中井 和夫

出版者

JAPAN ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

雑誌

国際政治 (ISSN:04542215)

巻号頁・発行日

no.104, pp.99-116,L12, 1993

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The agreement reached in Minsk on 7-8 December 1991 to create a Commonwealth of Independent States was signed by the leaders of three slavic countries. The agreement stated that, "the USSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality ceases its existence". Ukrainian president Kravchuk stated that it had prevented the uncontrolled disintegration of the former Soviet Union, but "We cannot allow ourselves to be locked in the Commonwealth, we should go in search of wide ranging relations with other countries", added he. Many Ukrainians regarded CIS more sceptically than president Kravchuk. According to an opinion poll conducted after signing of the Minsk accords, Ukrainians were the most pessimistic of the three founding states.<br>Elected as the first president of Ukraine, Kravchuk shortly succeeded to establish an authoritarian regime. He introduced several new institutions which strengthened his presidential power. By shifting his position from "sovereign communist" to the "fighter for Ukrainian independent statehood" Kravchuk neutralized his former opponents. Also he recruited many key persons from opponents camp to the higher governmental posts. But Kravchuk's authoritarian regime lasted barely one year. New prime minister L. Kuchima challenged Kravchuk in power game and weakened Kravchuk's position last winter. Kravchuk's authoritarian regime was further weakened by the economic crises in Ukraine.<br>Since Ukraine's ratification of its independence in December 1991, its quarrels with Russia grabbed international headlines. During the early months of 1992, Russo-Ukrainian relations reached so low an ebb that many observers felt the big possibility of the Ukraine's retreat from the CIS. However, an reapprochment has taken place. An agreement was reached between the two sides on many of the outstanding areas of conflict at the Dagomys summit meeting in June 1992 between president Yeltsin and Kravchuk. Although there are still many points of conflict between them, relations between them have become quite stable.<br>From the begining Ukraine did not possess strong loyality to the CIS. Ukraine regarded CIS as an economic cooperative organization. Therefore, Ukraine was always against the CIS as a unit of political-military integration. If CIS would be strengthened as a political institution like the former Soviet Union, Ukraine would likely choose the alternative of "exit" from the CIS.<br>Finally, what is the meaning and impact of the independence of Ukraine in the region? From the Baltic to the Black Sea, there are now six new independent states, including Ukraine. These western parts of the former Soviet Union can be called the "New Eastern Europe". thrusts Central Europe (former Eastern Europe) to the west and at the same time pushes Russia to the east.