Ukraine and Europe: Integration by Demand

Abstract

This chapter teases out the evolution of Ukraine’s integration behaviour towards the EU as well as the shifts in EU’s policy towards Ukraine. Firstly, we examine Ukraine’s motives behind making EU membership a formal foreign policy objective. We then draw attention to the gap between Ukraine’s European declarations and domestic deeds by reference to the key features of the domestic political regime in Ukraine. Finally, we analyse Ukraine’s demand for integration and the EU’s limited receptivity to those demands. We explore the circumstances which compelled the EU to shift relations from cooperation to integration, and its ultimate offer in the shape of the Association Agreement, the content of which is analysed in the final section.