INSIDE: l Will Trump alter U.S. policy toward Russia? – page 3 l Sheptytsky Institute moving to Toronto – page 8 l Kyiv Chamber Choir wows D.C. audience – page 11 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIV No. 48 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 $2.00 Leonid Kravchuk speaks in Washington On Euro-Maidan’s third anniversary, about historic break-up of the USSR many see the revolution as incomplete “I can give you a lot of examples of mis- takes that were made, but Ukraine lives on,” he told a large gathering on November 18 at the Atlantic Council that came to hear him, and two other post-Soviet leaders – the first president of Belarus, Stanislau Shushkevich, and the first deputy prime minister of Russia, Gennady Burbulis – dis- cuss the “Soviet dissolution, the birth of nations and the successes and challenges 25 years later.” Despite the many challenges it has been receiving from Russia, Mr. Kravchuk stressed that “Ukraine is growing and doing so in a democratic way, in a European way, and now Ukraine cannot be pushed off this path.” Not unexpectedly, the issue that came up Yaro Bihun most often during the discussion was the Ukraine’s first president, Leonid Kravchuk, Russian annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean discusses the successes and challenges expe- peninsula. rienced in Ukraine and other countries after “The question of Crimea is very painful president.gov.ua The official ceremony to commemorate the third anniversary of the Euro-Maidan the collapse of the USSR. for Ukraine. And the idea that Crimea has Revolution took place at the Mystetskyi Arsenal art museum in Kyiv and was presid- by Yaro Bihun always been Russia is an illusion,” Mr. ed over by President Petro Poroshenko on November 21. Kravchuk said, pointing out that until 1789 WASHINGTON – Leonid Kravchuk, the Crimea was a part of the Ottoman Empire. by Mark Raczkiewycz – riot police ambushed and abducted Mr. first president of the independent Ukrainian “So the question of who Crimea has histori- Zhytniy on a Kyiv side street called Kriposny state established 25 years ago after the cally belonged to is not so easily answered.” KYIV – Dmytro Zhytniy can’t lift anything Provulok while the trained heavyweight break-up of the Soviet Union, came to the He pointed out that today’s world is heavy, and is unable to run or jump. boxer was rushing to the protesters’ aid. U.S. capital last weekend to discuss that his- based on a few “great principles: sovereign- On January 23, 2014, when authorities He was called to action near the city’s toric event, how it has progressed since then started kidnapping members of the so-called and what can be expected in the future. (Continued on page 18) Auto-Maidan – the roving protest on wheels (Continued on page 14) Ukraine could leverage trade deal with Canada to enter American market by Christopher Guly uct to Canada and adds something to it in Canada, it can Special to The Ukrainian Weekly export the product to the U.S. under NAFTA.” That could prove to be an invaluable trade route for OTTAWA – The doors to further trade deals may be closed Ukraine to penetrate the lucrative American market, par- once President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, ticularly if President-elect Trump carries the protectionist but Ukraine could have an exporting path to the United States rhetoric from his election campaign into his administration via the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), next year. according to a Ukrainian Canadian member of Parliament. Mr. Trump talked about scrapping NAFTA, and Prime Borys Wrzesnewskyj, who represents the Toronto riding Minister Justin Trudeau has already said his Canadian gov- of Etobicoke Center for the governing Liberals in the House ernment is open to renegotiating the 22-year-old deal. of Commons, said in an interview that Ukrainian businesses CUFTA has not yet been ratified. operating in Canada under CUFTA would be able to take Earlier this month, Minister Freeland introduced legisla- advantage of the North American Free Trade Agreement tion in the House to implement the agreement that will (NAFTA) that includes Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. reduce almost all duties on Ukrainian imports to Canada. “A company located in a place like southern Ontario Given the all-party support for CUFTA, it will likely get the would have access to the U.S. market,” said Mr. parliamentary green light in Canada. Wrzesnewskyj, who was in Kyiv in July when International Mr. Potoczny expects that to occur – in Canada and Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland – his Liberal Ukrainian Ukraine – either by year’s end or early in 2017. Canadian colleague – signed CUFTA with Ukrainian In the meantime, he has been busy promoting the Economic Development and Trade Minister Stepan Kubiv. Canada-Ukraine Trade and Investment Support (CUTIS) But such an entrée won’t be that straightforward, project that Ms. Freeland unveiled last December. according to the president of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber The CUCC is a partner in the five-year, $13.6 million of Commerce (CUCC). (Canadian – about $10 million U.S.) initiative to assist “If a Ukrainian company makes a product in Ukraine and Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises in access- ing Canadian and other global markets. CUTIS will also brings it to Canada, it won’t be able to send it on to the U.S. serve as a complementary vehicle to CUFTA. because it’s not a Canadian product,” explained Zenon Zenon Potoczny, president of the Canada-Ukraine Potoczny. “But if a Ukrainian company brings part of a prod- Chamber of Commerce. (Continued on page 16) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 No. 48 ANALYSIS Russian ethnic minorities repudiate Sanctions on Russia to remain in place 18: “The mission held constructive discus- sions with the authorities on policies need- OTTAWA – U.S. President Barack Obama ed to complete the third review under the proposed law on the Russian nation met in Berlin on November 18 with the EFF arrangement. While good progress has leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Spain and been made, the authorities need some more by Vadim Shtepa bly of the Siberian Sakha Republic the United Kingdom. The White House stat- (Yakutia), rejects the term “Russian nation” time to implement policies to ensure medi- Eurasia Daily Monitor ed, “The leaders also took stock of the con- itself, arguing that it marginalizes Russia’s um-term fiscal sustainability, including flict in eastern Ukraine. They unanimously national (i.e., ethnic) diversity (Regnum, adoption of the 2017 budget consistent At an October 31 meeting of the agreed on the continued need for Russia to Interethnic Relations Council, President November 2). This view is shared by Dr. with program…” The IMF said that, “After a fully meet its commitments under the Vladimir Putin approved the idea to adopt Damir Iskhakov, a prominent ethnologist difficult period, the Ukrainian economy is Minsk agreements and that Ukraine-related the “Law on the Russian Nation” (rossiyska- from Tatarstan: “If the concept of the showing welcome signs of recovery. sanctions against Russia must remain in ya natsiya), which would legally define the ‘Russian nation’ is adopted as law, it would Decisive policy actions in the past two years place until it does so. The leaders expressed term (Kremlin.ru, October 31). This propos- effectively mean the state’s non-recognition have led to a dramatic reduction in external concern over the continued lack of a dura- al, and its potential legalistic consequences of many nations” (Proufu.ru, November 4). and internal imbalances. Inflation has been ble ceasefire and reaffirmed the importance for the country’s non-ethnic-Russians, has Karelian journalist Andrei Tuomi, mean- successfully brought down, the central of creating a security environment that is sparked widespread controversy and dis- while, has directly compared this desire of bank’s international reserves have conducive to moving forward with free and cussion within society and throughout the the Russian authorities to construct a uni- increased substantially, and growth is fair local elections in the occupied regions of various regions of the Russian Federation. fied imperial nation with German Nazism expected to reach 1.5 percent in 2016 and Donetsk and Luhansk.” (Ukrainian Canadian In most world languages (English, (Mustoi.ru, November 8). pick up to about 2.5 percent in 2017. The Congress Daily Briefing) Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, etc.) the word Yekaterinburg economist Evgeny strength and durability of the recovery, “Russian” refers both to Russians as an eth- Yushchuk has suggested that the idea of Obama wants Ukraine deal however, depend crucially on the imple- nic group and to Russia as a state. However, enshrining into law the notion of a “Russian mentation of ambitious reforms to support in the Russian language, there is a clear dis- nation” sets up the conditions for pushing PRAGUE – U.S. President Barack Obama Ukraine’s transition to a full-fledged market tinction between the words “russkiye,” indi- through radical administrative territorial says he wants to reach a negotiated peace economy.” The IMF also stated: “Turning the cating the ethno-cultural community, and reform and the abolition of national repub- settlement in Ukraine before he leaves office current stabilization into strong and sus- “rossiyskiy,” which refers to the country of lics within the Russian Federation in January. During a wide-ranging press con- tainable growth – so that Ukraine can catch Russia. The proposed Law on the Russian (Politrussia.com, November 7). Indeed, ference in Peru on the sidelines of the Asia- up with its regional peers – will not be an Nation consciously uses the second form of such an outcome might become feasible if Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) sum- easy task.