Savin S. Ukrainian-British relations within the context of integration processes 1991 - 2005

Strategic meaning of relations between Ukraine and the United Kingdom in 1991 – 2005 was proven on the basis of various, including British, sources. It was determined by the actual involvement of the British party in each phase of Ukraine’s integration in European and Euro-Atlantic space. The author arrives at the conclusion that the British factor turned out to be the most important within the system of European protectionism offered to Ukraine, oriented toward political approachment with the European Union. This factor had substantial bearing upon the fact that by 2005 Ukraine reached the integration level, which opened the prospects of associate membership in the EU and inclusion to the Membership Action Plan. The work contains analysis of the main areas of Ukrainian-British economic cooperation, and reveals its contradictory aspects. The author has analyzed a humanitarian component of the bilateral cooperation, based on the dialogue and mutual enrichment of the cultures within the context of European integration formula: ‘unity in diversity’. At the same time, the work showed the United Kingdom’s interest in harmonization of Ukraine’s cooperation with the EU and Russia.