How western populism weakens democracy in Ukraine

What does the election of Donald Trump as US President in 2016 and the rise of ‘populist’ parties across Europe mean for Ukraine? Iryna Solonenko argues that populism in Europe, and in the West generally, plays into the hands of anti-democratic forces in the country, supporting Russia’s destabilising influence and threatening Ukraine’s democratic future.

The forward-looking part of Ukrainian society not only needs support from the democratic West; it needs a strong, coherent Europe and a West united by liberal democratic values.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Ukraine: Waiting for Donald, worrying about the EU / Berlin: Ukraine’s last ally standing? http://www.europeansources.info/record/ukraine-waiting-for-donald-worrying-about-the-eu-berlin-ukraines-last-ally-standing/

ESO: Background information: Defusing future crises in the shared neighbourhood: Can a clash between the West and Russia be prevented? http://www.europeansources.info/record/defusing-future-crises-in-the-shared-neighbourhood-can-a-clash-between-the-west-and-russia-be-prevented/

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