№ 6 - 2000
Kotelnikov V.S.
In Search of National Interests: State Building in Ukraine in the Context of World Experience

The «Ukrainian» set of problems discussed in the article is presented in the context of investigation of such a phenomenon as «national interest» which the author proposes to examine in the aspect of structure, constructing for the purpose an original model. In his opinion, national interests are determined by the following factors: (1) geopolitical requirements, (2) socio-cultural values and (3 ) technological purposes. The author insists that a state is entitled to be styled a nation-state and a government’s policy national one only when the power takes into account all the three elements of the structure just dwelled upon.V.S.Kotelnikov approaches national interests from constructivist positions claiming that his construction depends on related actions of politicians. He holds that in order that Ukraine may become a country to be reckoned with on the international arena and successfully join the processes of European integration, it is required that Ukraine’s population become conscious of itself as a nation. It is the formation of national identity that confers meaning to a policy directed to the constituting of a nation-state, which - by all means - presupposes the existence of national interests.