Ukraine after 25 years of independence. More opportunities than risks
Karl Walter, head of the Bavarian House in Odessa and Ukrainian representative of the OWWF, sees a positive accent in the association agreement with the EU and the optimism of young people, which could lead to a reversal of the trend.
On the club evening of the OWWF on September 20, 2016 at the Maximilianeum, Karl Walter also named the risks: the still existing corruption and the conflict with Russia. The implementation of the Minsk agreement is essential for good neighbourliness and prosperity of Russia and Ukraine. But it was also clear that Ukraine's EU perspective offered much more than Putin's Eurasian Union. That's why there is only one way to go, and not either or. Good neighbourliness with Putin and the European Union brings all parties involved more than confrontation with Russia and a unilateral approach to the European Union. The offer to Russia is called EEA integration into the European Economic Area and technology partnership.
Against this backdrop, investments by Bavarian companies in the Ukraine are worthwhile. A bridging function between the European Union, Russia and Central Asia is Ukraine's unique geostrategic position.