Ukraine Must Become a 'Predatory' State: Experts Urge Shedding an Inferiority Complex

The Case for an Expansive Foreign Policy

According to ХВИЛЯ: Political psychologist Vsevolod Zelenin and political scientist Yuriy Romanenko have argued that Ukraine needs to abandon its inferiority complex and adopt a more expansionist approach to foreign policy. In their view, a bold and aggressive global stance is essential for the nation's survival. They cited historical examples, such as Prince Askold, who expanded the state's territory tenfold, and Prince Sviatoslav, whose defeat of the Khazars opened the door for the Pechenegs and Cumans to invade.

Zelenin referenced the Institute of Social and Political Psychology, noting that a psychological complex is holding Ukraine back. He pointed out that

“many already accuse Ukraine of interfering in foreign election processes”

-a sign of entrenched stereotypes.

“We say: This is ours, and everything else is not-there is no expansion,”

Zelenin remarked, highlighting the example of Askold, a Norse ruler in Kyiv.

Strategic Thinking and Modern Challenges

Romanenko, in turn, highlighted the gap between those who think globally and those who remain stuck in a 'small-farm' mentality. He compared the Norse approach to the Polans, Drevlians, and other tribes to the challenges Ukraine faces today.

“Sviatoslav crushed the Khazars, but then the Pechenegs and Cumans came in and ravaged everything,”

Romanenko said, stressing the need for strategic thinking.

Zelenin also contrasted the operational models of Ukrposhta and Nova Poshta. He noted that Nova Poshta expanded delivery across Europe during the war, treating expansion as the norm.

“They think in terms of expansion,”

Zelenin said, while

“Ukrposhta runs its business in a way that somehow creates a line of just four people.”

These examples, according to Zelenin, illustrate the difference in organizational mindsets.

Romanenko also addressed the topic of Ukrainian agricultural holdings, which have raised concerns in Poland. He emphasized that these holdings are “organizationally powerful and predatory,” and that their predatory nature must be understood and integrated into the state's structure.

“The state must become predatory, more expansionist,”

Romanenko stated, calling for an embrace of new realities.

Summing up, Zelenin said Ukraine must overcome its own impotence and outdated Soviet-era habits.

“We must overcome our own impotence and the outdated forms from the Soviet era, those attempts to hide and shut ourselves away with a 'not my problem' attitude in the worst sense of the word,”

he concluded. The experts are thus urging a shift in mindset and actions on the international stage to secure Ukraine's stable future.

This discussion highlights the pressing issue of Ukraine's self-perception in the global context. Given the modern challenges the country faces, strengthening strategic thinking and actively pursuing expansionist policies has become crucial. Shedding the inferiority complex could be a key element in shaping a new national identity and boosting Ukraine's international influence.

Understanding Ukraine's historical resilience is crucial for grasping the arguments presented by experts in foreign policy. The exploration of how empires have historically leveraged Ukraine's strengths reveals a pattern of exploitation and resilience that shapes the current discourse. To delve deeper into this perspective, you can read about why Ukrainians are often referred to as history's 'Steel Jaws' in this insightful article on the historical exploitation of Ukraine's potential.