By Bethany Walter

& Matthew Dierks

Kievan Rus (Київська Русь)

During the 10th and 11th centuries, the Ukraine was the

center of the first eastern Slavic state. This country was

developed along an important trade route from the Baltic Sea

to the Black Sea. This was also the time when Orthodox

Christianity was adopted, creating a connection between

Kievan Rus with the Byzantine Empire in 988 AD.

With essentially no

central government in

place, Kievan Rus

disintegrated into rural

princedoms which

succumbed to disunity and

political weakness. People

stopped paying taxes,

Europeans established new

trading routes that

excluded them, and

eventually they were

invaded by the Mongols

(Tartars). The capital city

was eventually moved to

Moscow in 1328. For both

Russians and Ukrainians,

the period before this

decline is still looked upon

with great fondness and

pride.

Cossak Hetmanate state after

1648Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569

Austro-Hungary & Russia in the 18th century Soviet Union after 1920

INDEPENDENCE

Freedom finally came for the Ukrainians with the

dissolving of the Soviet Union in 1991. On December 1st of

that year, a referendum was held in the Ukraine on national

independence and passed with 90 percent of the vote.

The Ukrainian Constitution was adopted in 1996 and

has since been amended. It sets up a government structure

very similar to that of Russia’s. With a dual executive,

proportionally representative legislature, and an appointed

judiciary branch, this is a multiparty system.

Batkivshchya

(“Fatherland”)

Communist Party of

Ukraine (CPU)

Party of Regions

People’s Movement of

Ukraine

People’s Party

Radical Party

Socialist Party of Ukraine

(SPU)

Svoboda

Ukrainian Democratic

Alliance for Reforms

(UDAR)

Moving forward…

POLITICAL & CULTURAL INSTABILITY

The Western region

shares much in

common with the

middle, but was

influenced for a

long time by the

European

languages, cultures

and religion.

The Eastern region

has very little in

common with the

West. Slavs,

attracted by

industry and

growth, populated

the area well into

the 19th century.

The middle region, which includes Kiev, has been

heavily influenced by both sides. As the cradle of

Russian society, ties have historically been strong

with the Byzantine Empire and with the East. Yet,

having been ruled by the Poles, it also has strong

ties with the West.

Today, 67 percent of people living in the Ukraine speak

Ukrainian and 30 percent speak Russian (shown above).

Furthermore, 71 percent are ethnically Ukrainian, while only 17

percent identify as ethnically Russian. The other 12 percent are

remaining Tatars.

FAILED RELATIONS WITH THE WEST

Despite it’s pull towards

the West, the Ukraine

remained much more

closely tied with Russia than

other former Soviet

republics because the West

never fully embraced the

Ukraine as a potential trade

partner.

Many other states were

offered the prospect of

membership in the EU or

NATO for the diligent pursuit

of democratic and market

reforms. No such offer was

seriously extended to the

Ukraine. This has made

transition to democracy very

difficult.

CONTINUED RUSSIAN INFLUENCE

Украины нет,

не было и

быть не может!

At the same time, many Russians had never

truly gotten used to the idea of an independent

Ukraine. The reluctance of the West to be involved left

a void Russia was more than happy to fill.

ТРАНСПЕРЕНСІ ІНТЕРНЕШНЛ УКРАЇНА

77%87%

142/175

74%84%

DEMOCRATIC PULSE

The Orange Revolution, the protest in

Independence Square, up to the current situation in

the Ukraine, tells us that the people are unhappy

enough with their government to stand up and fight

for democracy and for Westernization.

SOVIET UNION IMPACT :

The late 80s to early 90s

• During Soviet rule Ukraine was known as one of

the poorest regions, only falling ahead of

Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.

• During the later years of soviet rule Ukraine relied

heavily on the Soviet Union for reduced gas prices.

This in turn lead the gas to being exported at

higher costs bringing in additional income.

• The best sources available at the time shows

Ukraine's GDP at just above $1,000.00 even with

the Soviets giving Ukraine the lowered gas prices.

In 1991, when Ukraine gained independence, the

United States had high hopes that it would become a

wealthy free market Democratic system. However, as

of today the Ukraine has plummeted to be known

lately as the “next Greece,” or “sick old man of

Europe.”

INITIAL RESULTS AFTER THE SOVIET UNION

• With the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union,

Ukraine tried to build up its infrastructure

essentially from nothing to the economic standing

expected by the U.S. and the rest of Europe.

• With the building of a new free market economy

came many costs, such as a black market of

economic goods and political corruption between

1991 and 1996 as well as mass inflation.

• In order to stabilize the economy Ukraine began to

tax heavily on all available businesses, which lead

to further separation and shadow economics.

• In 1996, the Ukraine incorporated its first national

currency called the Hryvnia, which helped to stabilize

the economy and rid the country of all previous

currencies used.

• Even with the national currency, Ukraine’s economy

has struggled and since the 2008 recession has not

shown continuous strides of improvement like

before.

• Since 2008, the Ukraine has acquired around 60

billion dollars in debt. This will rise in the near future

due to the older populations beginning to retire and

rely more on the government.

A New Currency

INDEX OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM

As of today Ukraine is ranked 162nd out of 183

in the 2014. They are only ahead of countries such as

Iran (171), Republic of Congo(170), and North Korea

(178) the other 5 countries listed as “not ranked” on

the current list.

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