The Europe-Ukraine-Russia triangle may turn into a quadruple if China enters the game. Faced with a contracting labor market and limited credit resources, East and Central European countries approach Ukraine’s associated membership in the European Union with caution, fearing that it all may end up in Kiev claiming its fair share of the pie.
EU
strategists are racking their brains over how to lure Kiev, while
keeping East European member states less concerned about it. Ukraine’s
hopes to negotiate more favorable terms failed. When President Viktor
Yanukovych requested 150 billion euros in aid to speed up the economy’s
transition to the European technical standards, even “senior” EU members
got scared. Europe just can’t afford it.
