An Expert's View on Ukraine's Security Agreements
International policy expert Illia Kusa, speaking on political analyst Yuriy Romanenko's broadcast, characterized Ukraine's security agreements as abstract and largely symbolic. Kusa stressed that despite signed pacts with Western nations, the security assurances they offer hinge on political decisions that may or may not be made. He argued for a greater focus on building alliances through institutional frameworks rather than relying solely on personal arrangements.
Kusa pointed out that the existing agreements frequently lack concrete security guarantees. He noted that
"the media presents them as security guarantee agreements, but there is nothing about security guarantees in them."
The expert indicated that such pacts might serve as symbolic capital or framework agreements that outline, for instance, joint weapons production.
The Institutional Approach to Security
Kusa emphasized that security alliances should not depend on individual political figures.
"Everything shouldn't be tied only to specific personalities. It should be geared toward institutions."
The presence of permanent, working institutions increases the likelihood of stable alliances, regardless of electoral cycles and political turbulence.
In the context of defense integration, Kusa mentioned neighboring countries like Poland and the Baltic states, which could play a key role in forming a more stable security environment. He highlighted that the situation can change at any moment, as seen in Poland, where a change in prime minister can lead to a coalition collapse and, consequently, instability in agreements.
Thus, the expert called for a rethinking of approaches to Ukraine's security agreements, focusing on an institutional foundation that could ensure their long-term stability and effectiveness. These pacts are part of a broader international effort to support Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Illia Kusa's remarks underscore the urgency of the security issue for Ukraine within an unstable international political landscape. Given potential government changes in partner countries and their impact on concluded agreements, Ukraine should concentrate on creating robust institutional mechanisms to ensure stability and reliability in security matters. This could be a crucial step toward strengthening defense capabilities and building dependable alliances for the future.
Understanding the limitations of Ukraine's security agreements sheds light on the broader implications of its foreign policy. To explore the reasons behind the shortcomings of Ukraine's neutrality approach and its impact on national security, see our detailed analysis on the failures of Ukraine's neutrality strategy.