History /
Did Ukraine really "steal" Polish land? [302]
And you think that an independent Western Ukraine wouldn't have money?
Absolutely, it would be as broke as you can get (given that current Ukraine is in a bad shape and getting worse). The loss of half the economy would be bad.
Poland would be very eager to invest in such an area, as would Slovakia and Hungary.
Compare Slovakian and Hungarian economies and the Polish one.
We can also assume that any independent Ukrainian state would make it very easy for the West to do business with - without a Russian minority agitating and demanding links with Moscow,
The West made it clear enough they're not interesting in Ukraine, any Ukraine.
In fact, without the very poor and run down industrial East (and possibly without Kyiv) - it's likely that a Western Ukraine state wouldn't be much poorer than Eastern Poland.
You do realise the Eastern Ukraine is actually much richer and the majority of the economy resides there?
it's likely that a Western Ukraine state wouldn't be much poorer than Eastern Poland.
No it is not, sorry to break your bubble but they dont have money to invest.
It's no worse off than Ireland, Latvia or Iceland.
Stop living on the moon, Ukraine is dilapidated, its GDP is deteriorating, investors are on the low, comparing Ukraine to the above is ridiculous, even Iceland despite its bankruptsy is better off because it can count on international aid that Ukraine can not.
A Western Ukraine out of political and economic needs would open their door to the EU
If EU was interested it would go in now, EU countries made repeated statements that show Europe doesnt really care nor will in the future, as far as political and economic significance Ukraine is way behind Turkey in EU accession.
Add to this that by the time such a state like Western Ukraine could realistically access EU (20+ years) Western economies will already have significant issues due to overblown social and in some places failing population so they wont like an idea of another poor state joining.
In other words it doesnt matter in what form or shape Ukraine exists, EU is unlikely to be interested in it within the next 20-30 years.
and I bet 99% of Ukranians would rather be in poverty and independent than be part of a Polish state.
Yeah i bet that too, i also bet that they prefer to be a Polish dependency then a Russian one.
Moscow is gaining in strength day by day
Says you, the press and academic sources say about the non-existent private sector and an economy based purely on fossile fuels exports, thats a pretty fragile setup.
fact that Russia is steadily incorporating areas such as South Ossetia shows that they're going nowhere fast
Lets be clear about several things, Russia picked a fight with about the only opponent it could, Russia is not steadily incorporating anything because quite frankly Ossetia is the first (and last) military excersize in a long time and by the way Byzantine Empire incorporated areas a few decades before Crusaders sacked it.
Ukraine may swing either way. Belarus - no chance, they're too linked up with Russia and the political elite there will always support Union with Russia over anything else.
If that happens Ukraine is f*cked, Russian Ukraine would be used as a proxy against Poland, a conflict that would economically wreck Ukraine to a point of no return.
Ukraine today is probably best compared to Poland in the early 90's - poor, but free.
No its not, it lacks integrity, it lacks Western investment, its poor, its deteriorating, its divided and most importantly its alone, Poland throught its transition had Germany, UK, France, US and Ukraine is well and truly alone.
The moment the West ensured that Ukraine is democratic via the Orange Revolution it lost interest, Ukrainian situation is nothing like Polish, Poland reformed in peace and quiet, protected by treaties and interests of neighbours, Ukraines existence in its basic form is threatened so is its economy.