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Ukrainian-Russian Relations: Unlikely to Deteriorate
Oleksiy Krysenko, Candidate of Philosophy, Head of the Department of Ukrainian-Russian Regional Collaboration of NISI  Unfortunately, the most problematic sectors of our relations are in the most sensible spheres for any nation: the “past” and the “future”. Maybe the aftermath of national maturing in Ukraine and Russia consists in mutual claims both for cultural and historical inheritance and future status in global policy. Our nations still travel the way of their “imagination”, the construing of historical memory and national identity is under way.
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The only salvation for both countries: streamlining the cooperation
Borys Kaharlytsky, Director of the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements  Despite free market constructs, different economic regions will increasingly rely on their own abilities and resource potential and progressively depend more on their neighbors, than on the ever more segmented world market. Therefore Russia and Ukraine will encounter difficulties on the outer market, and, probably, they will have to make do with former cooperation which existed among FSU republics.
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Ukraine develops in its own way, and we cannot continue leading it by the hand
Andriy Riabov, Political Scientist, Member of the Scientific Board of Moscow Carnegie Center  The future of Ukraine is in Europe; the question is whether it is near enough. Despite all Russian hopes the Europeanizing of Ukraine does not depend on what majority will be at the helm.
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If you like to become Europeans, behave like Europeans
Rostislav Bieliayev, postgraduate, Institute of Business and Politics, St. Petersburg  There is a number of historically linked countries, and that’s that. Austria and Hungary, Denmark and Netherlands, U.S.A. and Canada; these links are determined by geographical location, on the one hand, and historical aspect, on the other hand. Ukraine and Russia may be easily added to the list.
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"There is no such entity as contemporary Ukraine; therefore it cannot wish anything"
Mikhail Dieliaguin, Director of the Russian Institute for Globalization Problems  Such nominal event as prolongation of the Treaty permitted to keep a number of very important strategic formulations which took decades to work out. These strategic formulations include two global issues familiar to everybody: stationing of Fleet in Sevastopol and price of gas.
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Limits of Russian Jealousy
Vyacheslav Volodymyrovych Igrunov, Director of International Institute for Studies in Humanities and Politics  The economy, common trade planning and mutually beneficial deals can bind us better than papers and declarations. Ukraine and Russia are akin in this context, our oligarchic clans remind of families; however, they strike deals not on the level of Treaties on collaboration; the latter are nothing but popular baits; the backroom deliberations can be tracked by gas price only.
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Catharsis Ahead
Anatoly Hutsal, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Ukrainian–Russian Relations  We distance ourselves both from Russia and Europe. Who’s crazy enough to deal with psychos? Therefore all sound structures keep away. There is catharsis ahead: now we fling mud at ourselves, now we think it over for not to be a round peg in a square hole. You need to get the hang of things, what you want and what you can offer to the world.
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In Need of Practical Priorities
Vitaly Chernov, Leader of the All-Ukrainian Public Association "Meeting People"  It is easy enough to criticize the Treaty between Ukraine and Russia. It is rather more difficult to find the way out to keep things going.
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Ukraine Must Return to Neutralism
Serhiy Fomin, Candidate of Economy, Leading Researcher of the Institute of World Economy  Our current European choice will become Euro-African one in 20 years; however, it will be too late to complain about the short-sightedness of Ukrainian politicians.
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Ukraine never tires generating problems in its relationships with Russia
Volodymyr Kornilov, Director of the Ukrainian Branch of the Institute of CIS Countries  Russia has abandoned its policy concerning FSU republics and formation of pro-Russian political force that might sometime in future come to power or be a “fifth column”. On a large scale, they never resorted to such primitive and rough approach. Russia has chosen the western way, the way of awarding grants promoting fields of loyalty in former FSU republics. It applies to humanities, science, etc.
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Agreement with Russia is a barometer our relations
Viktor Konstantinov, Institute for the studies of Russia  This accord is about everything and nothing special at the same time, as it contains nothing but basic declarations. Even Cuba and the U.S.A. could sign such agreement. Actually, it as much as lists directions of relations developing between two states.
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"The point is not in power and wicked intentions of Moscow, but in political frailty of Kyiv"
Yaroslav Matiychyk, Director of Security Programs of the Group for strategic and security studies  Moscow and Kyiv should not conduct dialog the fabricated strategic partnership, and, as they called it in the days of Cold War, about detente, establishment of political trust and mutual understanding; putting it picturesquely, the parties of war in both societies must be disbanded.
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Actually we are in a state of cold war
Oleg Soskin, Director of the Institute of society transformation  We do a poor job in public economic policy, and power policy in particular, due to amateurishness of the ruling elite, its political dependence on Russia, all parts of elite. All are dependant, or even under direct control of Russian administration.
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Ukrainian-Russian relations: stably grave condition
M.Pashkov, Leading expert of Razumkov Center  The Russian administration have come to believe in force management of CIS participants and started instructing Kyiv resorting to non-diplomatic vocabulary at times. The Russian state-run publicity machine cultivates mistrust and hostility to Ukraine among its population. According to recent Russian polls, Ukraine was the third most hostile nation after the U.S.A. and Georgia.
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