Explaining U.S. And German Foreign Policy Decisions Toward Ukraine

Abstract

This thesis explains U.S. and German foreign policy decisions regarding Ukraine over the course of19922015. Using theoretical models of foreign policy analysis and a method of structured-focused comparison, the research provides multi-causal explanations of crucial U.S. and German foreign policy decisions regarding Ukraine. They include the 19921994 Ukrainian nuclear disarmament, the 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit, and the Western response to the ongoing RussiaUkraine conflict that began in2014. The thesis provides a detailed comparative analysis of key factors that caused the emergence of AmericanGerman disunity regarding Ukraine. It concludes that divergent U.S. and German decisions regarding Ukraine appear in the dynamics of their changing power statuses and national security interests, as well as their dominant ideas and domestic politics. The inconsistency regarding Ukraine emerges when one or both states perceive Ukraine as a subsidiary part of each countrys bilateral relations with Russia. The results of the research are critical in evaluating U.S. and German efforts to prevent further escalation of the RussiaUkraine conflict, avoid a new EastWest confrontation, and ensure the reliability of the EuroAtlantic security architecture. The results of the research also provide important background for the further development of the AmericanUkrainian and GermanUkrainian strategic partnership.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1053339

Entities

People

  • Ihor Kovalevskyi

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Commerce
  • Department Of State
  • Economic Sanctions
  • Employment
  • Fission
  • Foreign Policy
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • International Security
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Strategic Weapons
  • Treaties
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • International Relations and European Studies
  • Systems Analysis and Design