Ukrainian-French political science discourse in the mirror of the «audit of foreign policy of Ukraine»

Abstract

A new phenomenon in Ukrainian political science was the cycle of studies of the Institute of World Policy (Kyiv) «Foreign Policy Audit of Ukraine». The work is supported by several international foundations and organizations using the methodology of the political index (BISS), previously tested by the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies. Noting the positive results of the application of this methodology by an international research team — a clearly indicated value for practical policy, the author pointed to a number of specific limitations. In particular, the widespread use of quantitative methods of political sociology is not provided with sufficient protection against the possibility of subjective interpretation of data. The main role in the article play issues of the Ukrainian-French discourse presented in the article «Foreign Policy Audit: Ukraine-France. Discussion Note» created by a group of specialists from France and Ukraine. It is a meaningful system of political science analysis. After presentation of this material by the Institute with the participation of the French ambassador to Ukraine Isabel Dumont, the latter told the press that Ukraine is now included in the top 5 of foreign policy priorities of her country. Such an optimistic statement gives a hope for a more favorable climate for the restoration of full-scale cooperation and attraction of new scientific forces for the study of this issue. The discussion note on the basis of reach factual material shows the condition of interstate cooperation and public opinion, as well as the inconsistency of the positions of both sides in assessing the Ukrainian political crisis that has become one of the central themes of European politics since 2013. The dual nature of French policy varies between the desire to support Ukraine and the unwillingness to complicate relations with Russia. Participation of France in resolving of the Ukrainian crisis within the Normandy Format is criticized by authors of the Note for its inertia and orientation on German policy. On their opinion the position of Ukraine is declarative and is not convincing enough for French public opinion. Accepting the invitation to the discussion the author critically evaluates the final recommendations of the Note which shows an obvious tendency towards French interests the value of some of them is highly questionable for the Ukrainian side (for example, participation in French foreign military operations, like Georgia). The author also disagrees with the statements that before the creation of the group in the Normandy Format France did not have a specific policy towards Ukraine. This also shows a shortage of the chosen methodology which needs additions from the field of historical experience. The author gives a short outline of the historical retrospective of Ukrainian-French relations emphasizing their steady nature and constant growth in both the political and economic spheres up to 2013. At the same time, an unprecedented leap was made between 2005 and 2012 in the sphere of economic cooperation. A factor analysis of this phenomenon shows that French investments in Ukraine just for the «seven-year plan» soared by 30 (!) Times, but in 2012 this growth suddenly stopped. There are known demarches of French ambassadors to the Ukrainian government, but the genuine reasons for this question still require research. Since 2014, the intensity of political contacts at the highest level between the two countries has also rocketed to an unprecedented level, but this has not affected the stabilization of economic relations which have been rolled back for more than a decade. In conclusion, the author notes that the «Foreign Policy Audit of Ukraine» will make a positive contribution to the development of domestic political science and to increase the effectiveness of the state’s activities in the international arena. In the context of the Ukrainian-French discourse of the actual problem the creation of an updated model of cooperation is seen as the previous model built according to the «Road Map» programs, despite being effective it does not work in modern conditions and there is still no other program of this level.