The object of the research is Ukraine’s security and defense policy. The aim of the dissertation is to examine the evolution of Ukraine’s security and defense policy between 2004 and 2022, focusing on foreign policy strategies, regional integration initiatives, and securitization processes. The methodological framework of the study is based on the integration of an interdisciplinary approach, combining the tools of political science, international relations, law, history, and sociology with the application of general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, and generalization. The research employs systemic and structural-functional approaches to study the interaction between internal and external factors of security policy; a historical approach to analyze the evolution of threats and strategies; a dialectical analysis to reflect the dynamics of the security environment; as well as the principles of objectivity, interdisciplinarity, historicism, and logical consistency. The interpretive-analytical method was used to analyze literature and legal acts; content analysis for the study of strategic documents and political statements; case study methodology to investigate specific stages of the development of security policy; event analysis of key events; and historical-chronological, historical-descriptive, and institutional approaches to examine the transformation of security policy and the role of national and international institutions. The theoretical significance of the study lies in expanding and systematizing knowledge about the evolution of Ukraine’s security and defense policy in the context of its foreign policy course and integration processes with the EU and NATO. The findings contribute to the development of the theory of regional security complexes, particularly concerning Ukraine’s role within the European supercomplex, and advance the conceptual foundations for the analysis of securitization processes and the formation of national security policy. The practical significance of the study is reflected in the potential application of the findings to improve Ukraine’s national security and defense policy, to develop strategic documents, and to standardize security concepts in line with EU and NATO practices. The research outcomes can be implemented in the work of governmental institutions, analytical centers, and international organizations, as well as integrated into educational programs for training specialists in political science, public administration, and national security. The scientific novelty of the dissertation lies in the comprehensive study of Ukraine’s security and defense policy within the context of its geopolitical and regional positioning, as well as in the identification of key factors shaping Ukraine’s contemporary security discourse amid Russian aggression and integration processes with the EU and NATO. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of normative and legal aspects, securitization processes, and the role of regional and international initiatives in strengthening the state's security.
