Francis Fukuyama: Ukraine Is a Key Country for the Current Global Geopolitics

In the current situation, Ukraine is a key country in global geopolitics, and it is also important for the future of democracy around the world. This was stated by well-known political scientist and philosopher, professor at Stanford University Francis Fukuyama in a video address to the participants of the special Kyiv Security Forum 2020.

“Ukraine is a key country for today’s global geopolitics and for the future of democracy around the world. If Ukraine does not succeed in building democratic institutions and fighting corruption, a number of other countries in the region will not be able to achieve this either. On the other hand, Ukraine can inspire other peoples who want to live in free and democratic societies,” Fukuyama said.

According to him, democracy is currently threatened by several challenges, the first of which is the strengthening of the positions of authoritarian states, in particular Russia and China.

“Russia is interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbors and in the politics of democracies, including the United States. Russia has mastered a number of new means of destabilising democracies around the world. It has turned the Internet into a weapon and created a new type of war – a hybrid, which allows it to send troops to other countries and at the same time deny it,” the philosopher said.

He is convinced that Vladimir Putin did not choose the path on which to form a powerful state, because the modernisation of Russia’s economics has failed, the country cannot be competitive and still depends on fossil fuels and energy prices.

“Putin has taken a huge risk, turning this weakness into a political advantage. He has invaded Ukraine and Georgia, supporting authoritarian regimes in Venezuela and other regions. This leads to international isolation and sanctions,” Fukuyama said.

He also added that in the global perspective, China poses an even greater threat to global democracy, although it currently poses a less direct threat to Ukraine. At the same time, China has powerful tools to expand its influence, including the ability to build infrastructure under the “One Zone – One Road” initiative. And as the power grows, so do the Chinese ambitions.

Bohdan Marusyak