Government policy for the last two decades has been that all formal (that is, written) communication must be provided in the Ukrainian language only. This policy has led to a pretty peculiar situation: in the capital city of the Ukraine nearly

nobody speaks the official language outside the formal environment; still one cannot find any sign written in the commonly spoken language, that is, in Russian.

OVERCOMING　THE "INFERIORITY COMPLEX"

 

Politologists from outside of the Ukraine describe this situation as a "minor brother's complex", meaning that Ukrainian political elite suffers form a deep mistrust and inferiority complex towards Moscow. Still, over half of the country's

population speaks Russian as their mother tongue, so they are immune to their politicains' psycological problems.

 

This is why somany observers in both countries consider the recent developments in the Russian-Ukrainian relations as a recovery in the almost medical terms.

They stress that the new leadership of the Ukraine
 turned to ne capable to overcome their "inferiority complex" and behave as a Russia's equal partner, not a naughty subordinate.

The results of the recent talks between the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and his Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yanukovich seem to prove these politologists'conclusions.

 

WHAT THEY BROUGHT IN THE LUGGAGE

Just a sheer list of the agreements president Dmitry Medvedev brought to Moscow back from Kiev is quite impressive.

Building the "Southern Stream" pipeline. Integration of the two national gas champions Gazprom and Naftogaz. Keeping Russian Black Sea naval base in Sevastopol. Ukrainian participation in creation of the Moscow-based international financial hub.

Joint venture to run the Russian-designed global navigation system Glonass. Joint venture to sell the giant cargo "Antonov" planes abroad. Cooperation betwwen the countries' border services. All these agreements - and even just the intentions of

the kind - were unthinkable even a few months ago.

Ukrainian president Victor Yanukovich stated it on Tuesday that his country "shoud modernize her relations with Russia", local media reported. The president added that

he was optimistic regarding the prospects of economic cooperation with his country's powerful neighbour.

Elena Bondarenko, Member of Supreme Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), told Xinhua on Tuesday that president Victor Yanukovich's policy of re-approachment to Russia "has

been supported by the two thirds of the Ukrainian citizens".

"This was the sixth meeting for two months between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders. We haven't seen such an intensity of contacts for decades. And this is just

a beginning. The latest visit was actually a breakthrough in our relations. Russia showed that it was our reliable strategic partner, and the most important one,"- Bondarenko said.

A Rada's Member believes that Ukraine is unable to push forward its development projects without Russia's financial backing.

"We have projects in aerospace industry, in hi-tech, and we are unable to bring them about on our own. Let's have a look at Europe where they implement the Airbus project as a joint venture", - the politicain reminded.

 

WHAT　THEY　LEFT　BEHIND

 

One of the most important results of the visit is, Elena Bondarenko pointed out, that Kiev and Moscow have repaired the trust between them. This is highly symbolical

because over half of the country's populstion speaks Russian as their mother tongue.

In turn, Russia is happy not to have a neighbor who "doesn't spit in her well", as Elena Bondarenko put it.

President Yanukovich of the Ukraine enjoys support of the majority of the people, so he has a "carte blanche" for his policy, Bondarenko insisted. Yes, the Ukrainian

society is split deeply on the issue of the attitude towards the new national leadership, she admitted, but "if in a year time or so every Ukrainian citizen would feel that his or her life becomes better, the political and grassroot opposition will lose its steam completely".

Still, official Kiev did not abandon its intentions to affiliatr with the European Union the way or another. Moscow used to be highly suspitious when Kiev looked West - even though Brussels has been reluctunt to give the green light for a too pushy

eastern "solicitor".

Now, at least in public, Kremlin became less jealous. "We all work in Europe, - president Dmitry Medvedev told the Ukrainian-Russian economic forum on Tuesday. - We recognize the souvereign right of Kiev to develop its relations with the European Union".

Elena Bondarenko sees the parallels between the recent Russian-Ukrainians developments and the history of the Europran Union. "Europe's unification started

with the teaming of the separate nations' economical institutions, and eventually that has led to the full-scale union, - she said. - So there is a chance that every separate trade, economical, humaniterian agreement between Kiev and Moscow would finally lead to the formation of a closely-tied union between the two countries".