Ukrainian Dialogue Issue 05
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Sept 2014 UKRAINIAN DIALOGUE 05 ISSUE Maidan: The Aftermath A story in images Kurkov’s Diaries An exclusive extract Snap Elections A Who’s Who of the candidates A PUBLICATION OF THE BRITISH UKRAINIAN SOCIETY UKRAINIAN BUSINESS CENTRE IN LONDON SERVICES: ã© 3)©AMKN?LW©DMPK?RGML© ã© +CCRGLE©PMMKQ©GL©*MLBML© ã© !MKN?LW©QCAPCR?PG?J© ã© .PMNCPRW© ã© AAMSLR?LAW© ã© #BSA?RGML©GL©RFC©3)© ã© 4GPRS?J©MLjAC© ã© 'KKGEP?RGML©RM©RFC©3)© 50 Broadway T: +44 (0) 20 7152 4650 St. James’s Park ǔƏ ƏƏƏƏƏ London [email protected] SW1H 0RG www.ubcl.co.uk 1/ CHAIRMAN From the Chairman Ukraine has been thrust into the forefront of international news since the release of our last issue in October 2013. I recently visited Ukraine where under a cloudless blue sky, Kyiv’s golden domes illuminated the peaceful splendour of the city. By total contrast, all the TV channels were continuously carrying the death, destruction and mayhem in Eastern Ukraine as their top story. Almost all the shops in Kyiv had sales signs, and the hot water supply was erratic. As the economy slides into deep recession, and the currency has been hard hit. Next month there will be parliamentary elections, and after that the implementation programme of the EU Association Agreement will begin, based on a comprehensive domestic Action Plan. A well- educated younger generation of Ukrainians is emerging into public life. They will begin to replace those who so spectacularly failed to build on the spirit of the Orange Revolution. The International Money Fund is now offering further help. Whilst Ukraine’s politicians recognise that there can be no military solution, public support for NATO membership, hugely provocative to Russia, has soared. Indeed, there have been calls for a referendum on NATO membership. What would persuade Putin into a permanent ceasefire and some sort of enduring settlement? An extension of a free trade area, or a customs union with Russia itself? A clear indication by Ukraine’s leaders that NATO membership will not be sought? Whatever unfolds in the coming months, one thing Ukraine cannot do is escape its geography. However choosing a national course is the right of any sovereign, independent country. Given their often tragic and tempestuous history, the people of Ukraine deserve none of the horrors which have descended on them. It is against this background of upheaval that this magazine, Ukrainian Dialogue, will now be published on a quarterly basis, giving a platform from which to observe the developing relationship between Ukraine, the UK, the EU — and beyond. Best wishes, 2/ CONTRIBUTORS David Blair Lily Hyde Niall Ferguson Dmitry Gruzynskyi David Blair is Chief British writer and Professor of History Ukrainian journalist, Foreign Correspondent journalist, Hyde’s novel at Harvard University, TV and newspaper of The Daily Telegraph. Dream Land about a Senior Fellow of reporter, observer and He has travelled the deportation and the Hoover Institute, editor. A graduate of extensively in Ukraine, return of the Crimean Stanford, and a Senior Kharkiv National State covering the revolution Tatars is endorsed by Research Fellow of University’s philological of 2014 and the Russian- Amnesty International. Jesus College, Oxford, faculty, he has authored sponsored insurgency in She reports on Ukraine Ferguson is also the articles about political the east. for international media author of a dozen and social problems in including the Times and books, and a prolific post-revolution Ukraine. New Internationalist. commentator on contemporary politics. Ben Robinson Tina Nandha Andrei Kurkov Sergei Voloboev Ben Robinson is a Tina Nandha is a Author Andrei Kurkov Sergei Voloboev is Chief photographer and writer freelance writer and is a master of surreal Economist at Norvik who specialises in visual a sub-editor on the post-Soviet humour. He Banka UK. In 1995- story-telling. Founder Telegraph’s magazines. has written 13 novels, 2014, he was in charge of findyourvoice.me.uk, Her work has appeared among them Death of macroeconomic Ben is based now near in the Financial Times and the Penguin, as research for the CIS Oxford after living and Weekend Magazine and well as five books for region at Credit Suisse in working for 15 Optima. She lives in children and Ukraine London. years in Ukraine. London. Diaries, published by Harvill Secker. His work is translated into 25 languages. Editor Production & printing All material in Ukrainian Dialogue is © British Ukranian Society 2014 and all Sophia Martelli Warners Midlands plc rights reserved. Reproduction without permission from the publisher is strictly The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, forbidden. Managing Editor Lincolnshire PE10 9PH Megan Hodges www.warners.co.uk Although we take great care in compiling the content of this magazine, we assume no responsibility and cannot be held liable for any loss or damage Sub Editor Published by to any material nor advertisements submitted, which are sent at the owner’s Richard Cosgrove The British Ukrainian Society risk. Advertisers bear full responsibility for the design and the context of 1st Floor, 25 Knightsbridge, advertisements. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the British Design London SW1X 7RZ Ukrainian Society. Robert McCarthy www.britishukrainiansociety.org Issue 5 published as of 29 September 2014. Circulation: 5,000. Free of charge Advertising department for members of the British Ukrainian Society. Readers who wish to contact +44 207 838 7025 the Society about membership or with feedback should do so by emailing [email protected] 3/ CONTENTS In This Issue 1 Letter from the Chairman 2 Contributors 4 News in brief 8 Ukraine’s passport to Europe By David Blair The significance of the Association Agreement 9 Rada roundabout by Dmitry Gruzynskyi Who’s who in the snap elections to be held in October 27 12 Faces of the displaced by Ben Robinson The crisis has created 300,000 internal refugees 17 Ukraine diaries. Continued by Andrei Kurkov In Kyiv, real life is as strange as fiction 9 20 A people called ‘dissidents’ by Lily Hyde How Crimean Tatars are coping with occupation 23 Ukraine’s economic prospects 12 by Sergei Voloboev The financial impact of political upheaval 24 Warnings from history by Niall Ferguson How the Ukrainian crisis mirrors the start of WWI 27 Voices of the uprising by Tina Nandha The events on Maidan reach the Royal Court theatre 29 Helping you help Ukraine by Maria Tymofienko How to start a charitable foundation 24 30 Join the British Ukrainian Society 31 Cultural Briefing Welcome to the online version of Ukrainian Dialogue. This PDF has been optimised for reading on your computer or a tablet. If you click on any of the article names on this page, "see page…" references inside articles you'll be taken straight to that page. 29 Clicking on website domain names will open the site in your browser. To view this on a tablet, we recommend using Adobe Reader for Android-based devices, and Goodreader for iPads and iPhones. 17 XX 4/ IN BRIEF Yalta conference held in Kyiv, not Crimea It may still be called the Yalta ter of Ukraine, and many others. mission Jose Manuel Barroso, European Strategy Conference Business leaders and academics said: “If Russia’s choice is to be a but this year’s international fo- were also out in force; speakers competitor, a rival, then it should rum on Ukraine took place in the included Jimmy Wales, founder know what would be the politi- captial Kyiv, not Yalta, where of Wikipedia; Richard Branson, cal, economic and other implica- Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill CEO of Virgin; Roger Myerson, tions. [But] if Russia chooses the famously met to talk peace. Professor of Economics at the way of reform, the EU will be Almost 70 years on and war as University of Chicago and a negotiating with it. This may be- well as peace was bristling in the Nobel Laureate in Economic come a new brick in establishing air. While few at the conference Sciences; and Niall Ferguson of new relations, and then, the fu- expected Crimea — annexed Harvard (see page 27 for his ar- ture of the integrated European by Russia in March — to return ticle on events in Ukraine). space – from Vladivostok to Lis- to Ukraine anytime soon, senior bon – will become a reality.” Ukrainian officials, with a par- Recently-installed Ukrainian liamentary election on the hori- President Petro Poroshenko Up to 8,000 Crimean Tatars zon, talked up the prospects of pledged to get Crimea back left Crimea after it was an- Crimea returning to the fold. peacefully. “They say we have nexed by Russia, the leader of lost Crimea. No. We have an in- the Mejlis, Mustafa Dzhemilev, The conference commenced vasion in Crimea. But Crimea will told the conference. Although on Thursday with a series of be back together with us. Not there was no official data, up headline talks by politicians necessarily by military means. I to 20,000 people of various including Ukraine’s president am confident we’ll win an eco- nationalities have fled the penin- Petro Poroshenko, Estonia’s nomic, democratic, liberal com- sula. Many hoped to return and president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, petition for the minds of Crimean expect Kyiv to suggest ways to President of the European Parlia- people,” he said. Later, Ukrainian do so. As those present pon- ment Martin Schulz, Stefan Füle PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned dered how, others speculated of the European Commission, that Vladimir Putin’s goal is to whether next year’s YES would Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, grab all of Ukraine. In between, be in Kyiv or its original location. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Prime Minis- President of the European Com- PETER DUTCYZN How Ukrainian lawyers can now practice in the UK On 13 June 2014 the Solicitors England and Wales.