Is Ukrainian President Yanukovich really a Russian puppet?
After the 2010 presidential elections Yanukovich rose to power in Ukraine. He and his Party of Regions are regarded in the west as pro-Russian. Observers also feared Ukraine might end up as a full-blown Russian ally. Six months after the establishment of the ‘coalition agreement for stability and reform’ an evaluation is due. Has Ukraine really made a shift toward the Russian camp? Summary After the Orange revolution ties between Russia and Ukraine diminished, the election of Yanukovich brought fears to the west of a Ukrainian return to the Russian sphere of influence. Although Yanukovich originally made a series of compromised to Russia it seems that in fact he is guided by an economical pragmatism and the desire to balance Russian influence and European influence to help Ukraine maintain a neutral course. The Ukrainian energy supply network is of course the most important asset at stake in this powerplay and so far Yanukovich has been able to keep it out of Russian hands and, wh...