This interview with the European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, Matti Maasikas, seeks to explore the EU’s perception of Ukraine’s quest to join the EU alliance and its major obstacles in doing so. Thank you to Ambassador Matti Maasikas for having given his time.
Ukraine background information:
Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe. It was part of the USSR until 1991 when it gained its independence. Since then, it has been under Russia’s sphere of influence and now seeks to become a member of the EU.
The Euromaidan protest, also known as the “Revolution of Dignity” started in November 2013. EuroMaidan was the population’s manifestation and civil unrest against the President at the time, “Viktor Yanukovich”, who refused to sign the association agreement with the EU and rather, decided to continue under Russia’s influence. The protests soon shifted into a revolution with the goal to remove president Yanukovich from power. Due to this, Ukraine lost land in Crimea to Russia and is still at war on its Eastern Border. Ukraine has since been reorganising its institutions and economy with the hope to join the EU.
The interview was conducted on the 17th of November 2020 via Webex.
