An interview with an expert on security issues Andrzej Talgoi (Andrzej Talaga).
— Fronda.pl: Starts the process in the case of Viktor Yanukovych. Can we call this event a summation of symbolic line under the era of dependence on Russia?
— Andrzej Talagi: Yanukovych is primarily the offender, which not only caused enormous damage to the Ukrainian budget, but made in the truest sense of the crime he is guilty of death. When the shot of the crowd on the Maidan, he was President of Ukraine. So I think this process is not so much a step to overcome the dependence on Russia (the Ukrainians have already done a lot of this kind of gestures), but the desire to punish the offender. He ran, but he can’t go unpunished. The process of Yanukovych and the sentence needs Ukraine not to break with Russia, and to arrange the signs “plus” and “minus” in the context of domestic politics. Yanukovych, by and large, was more a bandit than a Russian agent. He was subjected to blackmail Moscow and, unlike his predecessor, Viktor Yushchenko chose her, not the Western market. I think this choice just guaranteed him impunity.
— How do You assess the Yanukovych presidency? Is the current situation in Ukraine that the authorities were such people?
— On the one hand, its impact on the situation in the country was extremely negative. Viktor Yanukovych secured (note: not implemented and managed) unhealthy system of government in which Ukraine de facto ruled by the oligarchs, who plundered it for profit, harming the state and the Ukrainian people. But we created this system not Yanukovych, and Kuchma. Yushchenko, in turn, its existence is tolerated. Even now, despite the efforts of the Ukrainian leadership, the situation still looks not the best way.
On the other hand, not in favor of Yanukovych, but for the sake of completeness, it should be noted that before the revolution on the Maidan, that is, when he was President, Ukraine’s GDP was about $ 180 billion, and now — just over 80 billion. That is, during this time, resulting in a deep economic crisis, Russia’s annexation of Crimea and occupation of Donbas, the Ukrainian GDP declined by almost 3/4 of an unprecedented disaster for the peace of Europe. Usually it happens during the war, but this country does not lead is so large-scale military action to the losses was so large. This, of course, did not justify Yanukovych, but reveals a structural problem in Ukraine. Yanukovych is a bandit, but the collapse of Ukraine — not his fault, he just kept the same course. However, the decline continues, but now behind all this are a completely different team.
— Yanukovych accused of, first of all, treason, in that it helped Russia to carry out aggressive actions. But soon, prosecutors will face additional charges related to corruption and abuse of power.
Is a need to examine the court. The annexation of the Crimea and the attack on the Donbass not at Yanukovych, and after his escape. If he remained in power, this wouldn’t have happened. As I understand it, the charges relate to cooperation with the Russians in the dispersal of Maidan. The question is: who was shot (possibly Russian, not Ukrainian forces), gave Russia the user, whether encouraged it to action? This plan to charge him with treason, although I do not claim that it actually took place. Don’t know if there were treason, but the topic is very interesting. It needs to study the court, which I hope to report on its findings. Who and why gave the order to shoot people on Maidan, who killed them — a topic covered by a dense fog of uncertainty. If it was the Russians, treason is evident.
— Why Poland and our part of Europe is interested in the existence of a free Ukraine?
— We need protection from Russia. If the Russian Federation will continue its aggressive policy, it will face NATO, Europe and West Union in a broad sense, it is in Ukraine, not in Poland. If Russia will swallow Ukraine whole or in part (for example, if there installed a Pro-Russian regime in Belarus) — that collision is going to happen much closer to our borders. Poland serves as a safety buffer for Germany, and Ukraine — for us.
The ideal option is to, first, Ukraine has reformed and has become an effective democratic government with a free market. And secondly- the Ukraine into the EU and NATO. Something like that did for Germany. In the end, will form a peaceful, contributing to the development of the atmosphere. In this context, we should look at Germany, which has surrounded himself with friendly States with friendly policies. She doesn’t have a hostile neighbor. Neighboring countries are either in the same military-political blocs, and that it, or associated with them, like Switzerland. Poland remains to go the same way. However, Ukraine’s problem is that she is this way doesn’t want to move, so it’s hard to say whether we will be able in the near future to achieve the ideal situation that I described above.
— Thank you for the interview.
