Since last year’s presidential crisis in Ukraine, the importance of U.S.-Ukrainian relations has taken on a new significance. Not only is Ukraine delicately balanced between East and West it is also one of the five largest recipients of U.S. foreign aid. Yet the country is too often considered only in the shadow of her Russian neighbor.
To help fill this gap in foreign policy dialogue, AFPC joined other groups in cosponsoring a two-day conference entitle “Ukraine’s Quest for Mature Nation Statehood Roundtable II: Taking Measure of a U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership.”
AFPC President Herman Pirchner, Jr. and Program Director Kyle Parker served on the conference’s steering committee, and AFPC contributed advisory and logistical support to the roundtable.
The conference was designed to focus attention on America’s critical, yet often overlooked, relationship with one of Europe’s largest countries. It also provided insight and analysis on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship to new leaders in the Bush administration and Kuchma’s cabinet.
This timely conference brought together prominent government officials and leading academics from both Ukraine and the United States – including Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh.
The participant list was a veritable “Who’s Who” of the American Ukrainian foreign policy communities and included representatives form many other foreign countries. Attendees used the opportuinity to examine the merging strategic partnership between the two countries.
“Ukraine’s Quest for mature nation Statehood Roundtable II” continued a series of U.S./Ukraine dialogues that began in April 2000. Among other results, the conference generated a commitment to the development of a formal, ongoing exchange program between the US and Ukraine.
