Comments on: Orange Hangover http://crookedtimber.org/2006/09/25/orange-hangover/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:54:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Maria http://crookedtimber.org/2006/09/25/orange-hangover/comment-page-1/#comment-173008 Maria Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:28:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/09/25/orange-hangover/#comment-173008 Thanks, Franck. I'd really like to channel comments on this post over to the Ukraine Study Tour blog. Would you mind very much re-posting your comment over there? I'm going to keep the Ukraine posts on CT closed to comments. Thanks, Franck.

I’d really like to channel comments on this post over to the Ukraine Study Tour blog. Would you mind very much re-posting your comment over there?

I’m going to keep the Ukraine posts on CT closed to comments.

]]> By: franck http://crookedtimber.org/2006/09/25/orange-hangover/comment-page-1/#comment-173007 franck Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:17:20 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/09/25/orange-hangover/#comment-173007 Actually, it seems to me that things are going reasonably well in Ukraine, at least if you are Ukrainian. The pro-Russian sentiment in eastern Ukraine is real, but it doesn't translate simply into support for the Russian language and Russian government. By entering into cohabitation, Yushchenko has forced Yanukovich to demonstrate his supposed clout with the Russians over things like the gas issue, while simultaneously forcing Yanukovich to face reality vis-a-vis majority support for the Ukrainian language and culture and real democracy. By allowing the Party of Regions into government, Yushchenko demonstrated to the easterners that the deck isn't stacked against them if they are willing to respect the law. Simultaneously, Tymoshenko, who is now out in the cold, can really define her party's positions in opposition. As gas prices trend toward international prices, there is less room for massive theft and corruption. Even though things have been messy, the essential point is that everyone is much more willing to respect the law and the will of the electorate. That's a huge accomplishment that Ukrainians of all political persuasions should be proud of. Russia isn't a real alternative to Europe for Ukraine, and taking things more slowly will allow more Ukrainians to come to terms with that, which should lead to a much less bitter political climate in Ukraine. Actually, it seems to me that things are going reasonably well in Ukraine, at least if you are Ukrainian. The pro-Russian sentiment in eastern Ukraine is real, but it doesn’t translate simply into support for the Russian language and Russian government. By entering into cohabitation, Yushchenko has forced Yanukovich to demonstrate his supposed clout with the Russians over things like the gas issue, while simultaneously forcing Yanukovich to face reality vis-a-vis majority support for the Ukrainian language and culture and real democracy.

By allowing the Party of Regions into government, Yushchenko demonstrated to the easterners that the deck isn’t stacked against them if they are willing to respect the law. Simultaneously, Tymoshenko, who is now out in the cold, can really define her party’s positions in opposition. As gas prices trend toward international prices, there is less room for massive theft and corruption.

Even though things have been messy, the essential point is that everyone is much more willing to respect the law and the will of the electorate. That’s a huge accomplishment that Ukrainians of all political persuasions should be proud of.

Russia isn’t a real alternative to Europe for Ukraine, and taking things more slowly will allow more Ukrainians to come to terms with that, which should lead to a much less bitter political climate in Ukraine.

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