IMPACT OF EVENTS IN UKRAINE ON RUSSIAN-POLISH RELATIONS (2004–2014)

Abstract

The article describes how the events that took place in Ukraine in 2004–2018 influenced the relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Poland. The author notes that since the beginning of the new millennium, a new stage begins in Russian-Polish relations associated with changes both in the internal political life of Russia and Poland's accession to NATO in the spring of 1999. In 2000–2003, there was a warming in relations between the two states, leading to begin a high-level political dialogue. However, the “warming” in interstate relations did not last long – already in November 2004, the “first cooling” was felt in Russian-Polish relations, which was associated with the events in neighboring Ukraine. It is known that in November 2004, the presidential elections were held in Ukraine, in which the main struggle was between the supporter of the pro-Western path of development of Ukraine V. Yushchenko and the pro-Russian V. Yanukovych. The fact is that in 2004 Poland supported the Ukrainian “orange revolution” and Polish politicians played a significant role in the victory of V. Yushchenko at that time. However, later on in relation to Poland, the pro-Western V. Yushchenko’s rhetoric had changed. All this cast a shadow on his pre-election promise “rapprochement with Poland”. In the next elections, V. Yushchenko lost the support of Poland. In the background of the Yushchenko’s defeat in the 2010 presidential elections, Russia and Poland began another “warming” of relations, but it did not last long. In connection with the events in Ukraine, which began in the fall of 2013, relations between the states deteriorated again. The Polish state and Polish society supported Euromaidan. Relations especially deteriorated after March 2014, when Russia, violating all international legal norms, seized the Crimean Republic, regions of Donetsk and Lugansk under the guise of volunteers. Beginning in the spring of 2014, the Cold War began in relations between Russia and Poland, including Russia and the European Union, and continues to this day. The Polish side considers it possible to return to normal relations only if Russia renounces its aggressive policy against Ukraine, withdraws its military formations from Donbass and Luhansk, and returns Crimea to Ukraine.