SWOT
The country chosen for this assignment is Ukraine, an Eastern European giant. It has dominated global news primarily because of the gruesome military conflict with Russia and internal governmental shifts dating back to 2013 (Mejias and Vokuev 2017). In order to grasp what issues the country faces, it is crucial to create a full image of the area by examining its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The analysis has demonstrated that Ukraine’s primary strengths include its favorable geographical location, a variety of logistics opportunities, excellent human capital, and massive reserves of a number of natural resources. Furthermore, the nation has established diplomatic ties with the European Union as well as relatively powerful agricultural and military-industrial sectors. As for the weaknesses, corruption in every sector of public affairs, political instability, the government’s lack of a concise and efficient development strategy, and a high level of political apathy are some of them.
Next, it is important to decipher all the threats and opportunities the country has. In regards to opportunities, Ukraine is on the path to becoming an EU member. It can expect significant growth in tourism as Ukraine enters the radars of Europeans and Americans as an exotic, post-Soviet shrine to industrial architecture. In addition, Ukraine has the potential to grow economically through foreign and domestic investments in innovative industries, especially taking into consideration the strength of the nation’s IT industry. Furthermore, Ukraine has the opportunity to become a popular destination for medical procedures as the services provided locally are rather cheap and of high quality.
Lastly, Ukraine is a country, which, unfortunately, finds itself in a position where it has many threats. For instance, the nation is definitely affected by climate change and the impact is likely to grow as the South of the country already requires land reclamation. Ukraine seems to be at the brim of either fully accepting Western ideas of globalism and tolerance or moving softly to the ideology of national protectionism. In addition, it is undeniable that the existing conflict has the potential to grow and lead to a variety of issues, including new disputes with other nations. Furthermore, labor migration Ukraine suffers from is a legitimate threat to the country’s human capital opportunities.
Locale
As mentioned earlier, Ukraine enjoys an exceptionally good geographical location due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the country possesses a considerable amount of valuable natural resources. Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine (2021) notes that according to recent estimates, around 25% of the world’s highly fertile black soil is located in Ukraine. In addition, the nation is one of the prominent leaders in regards to the deposits of mineral raw stock, natural gas, and iron (Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine 2021). Secondly, the country’s location leads to an array of logistics opportunities due to it being at the center of major transportation routes between Asia and Europe, as well as between the Scandinavian and Mediterranean regions.
Thirdly, Ukraine has the potential of becoming a popular tourist destination simply due to the variability of its climate, access to the Black and Azov seas, and impressive flora and fauna. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine (2021) emphasizes that the fauna is extremely diverse as well, noting that it includes more than 45,000 species, some of which are exceptionally rare and almost distinct. Therefore, it is apparent that Ukraine is not just a post-Soviet country at war with Russia. In fact, it is a geographically diverse, large nation located on the crossroads of transportation routes, which has numerous natural resources.
Economic Situation
The Ukrainian economy is far from perfect as the country stands as the poorest nation in Europe. The primary challenges that Ukraine faces in regards to its economic capabilities include the loss of support from the International Monetary Fund, a risky land market reform, and an increasing debt (Heyets 2016). Between 2013 and 2015, Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) has reduced to half what it has once been. The reason for that is the internal civil unrest caused by President Yanukovich’s pro-Russian stance on Ukraine’s membership in the European Union, as well as the beginning of the military conflict with Russia in the Donbas region. It is also important to acknowledge that country’s national debt in relation to GDP is increasing rapidly and is, therefore, unsustainable. In recent years, Zelensky’s office has put effort into demonopolize game the banking system and expanding credit availability, although it is early to assess the efficiency of these initiatives. The country’s primary industries include food processing, electric power, machinery, and metals.
Cultural and Social Situation
In regards to the nation’s social and cultural situation, it is crucial to recognize just how much the Euromaidan revolution affected the collective consciousness. More people started being aware of their own ethnic identity separately from the post-Soviet ideology of Russia and Ukraine being one. Therefore, there has been a rise in interest in speaking Ukrainian as a way of countering the Russian narrative. Apart from that, as Ukrainians started to reconnect with their roots, the global public became aware of talented painters, musicians, and fashion designers who expressed Ukrainian traditions and ethnic perspectives in their art. Apart from that, the government has gone to great lengths to ensure that Ukrainians understand the need to adopt liberal, European values of tolerance and diversity to become a member of the European Union. No one would even dream about an LGBT+ pride event in the center of the Ukrainian capital until the events of the Euromaidan revolution (Husakouskaya 2019). Thus, the human rights rhetoric has slowly begun to integrate itself into Ukraine’s social initiatives. The government emphasizes pro-EU educational and social policies, particularly concerning inclusivity and diversity.
Legal and Geopolitical Issues
As for the legal and geopolitical issues Ukraine struggles with, there are many. Firstly, Ukraine’s judicial system is too weak and corrupted, which eliminates any possibility for a fair and prosperous society. Secondly, the legal system is closely tied with the private sector, with many of the 90s oligarchs serving as public officials. They simply try to gain parliamentary immunity and influence governmental decisions in favor of their companies. Thirdly, in regards to geopolitics, the nation is divided “between two centrifugal forces; at one side, we have Russia representing the East, at the other side we have the EU and NATO representing the West” (Rexhepi 2016, 95). Russia has tried to take control of Ukraine by annexing the Crimean peninsula and starting the conflict in the Donbas region. Although the attempts were a failure, they have indeed worsened the state of affairs in Ukraine.
Furthermore, it is crucial to mention that many of Ukraine’s politicians face lawsuits primarily due to their involvement in corruption. One of them is Viktor Medvedchuk, chief of staff to former President Kuchma (Hiram and D’Anieri 2020). He is accused of treason and now put under house arrest, which is not surprising, given the fact that he is the godfather of Vladimir Putin’s daughter.
Governmental Atmosphere
Ukraine is a semi-presidential representative democratic nation, which functions off a multi-party system. A Cabinet of Ministers holds the executive power, while Verkhovna Rada is a head of the legislative branch. Unlike the United States and many other nations, Ukraine does not enforce a two-party system, which offers only two ideological perspectives. From the Western point of view, the Ukrainian government is rather conservative, although it tries to develop more liberal policies to fit EU standards. The President of Ukraine is the Supreme Commander in Chief and functions as the holder of the country’s image. There is a close relationship between the public and private sectors, although this leads to corruption and excessive control of the government by oligarchs. 1 Corinthians 15:33 notes that bad company ruins any possible good morals, which is true in the case of Ukraine. Even if a young and promising individual goes into politics, they soon realize that they have to willingly steal with everyone else or are threatened to do so.
Action Plan
As for the applicable action plan, it consists of three primary steps. Firstly, the government should initiate a judicial reform, which would, in turn, put an end to corruption and boost Ukraine’s image among investors. Secondly, there is a need to renegotiate with the International Monetary Fund to ensure continued cooperation that would lead to central bank independence. Lastly, it is crucial to decrease the rate of labor migration in order to reduce the outflow of human capital. These proposals do not only directly lead to positive shifts within Ukraine but ensure that there is a long-term development strategy for the nation.
References
Heyets, Valeriy. “Ukraine’s Economy: Key Problems and Prospects”. Economy and Forecasting, no. 1 (2016): 7-22. Web.
Hurak, Ihor, and Paul D’Anieri. “The Evolution of Russian Political Tactics in Ukraine.” Problems of Post-Communism, (2020): 1-12. Web.
Husakouskaya, Nadzeya. (2019). “Geopolitical Transition of the European Body in Ukraine. Anthropological.” Journal of European Cultures 28, no. 1: 85–89. Web.
Mejias, Ulises A., and Vokuev, Nikolai. E. “Disinformation and the Media: The Case of Russia and Ukraine.” Media, Culture & Society 39, no. 7 (2017): 1027–1042. Web.
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. “Geographical Location of Ukraine”. Web.
Rexhepi, Enis. (2016). “Ukraine’s Geopolitical Position: Between East and West.” SEEU Review 12. Web.