Ongoing dialogue on political and security matters among the European Union and the United States shows that big potential for further conflict between two strategic partners has been avoided. It opens opportunities for Ukraine who is seeking Transatlantic unity for stopping Russian military aggression and occupation of Crimea. But some challenges regarding possible devastating relations between Brussels and Washington still exist.

Hungary as a member-state of the European Union is still attempting to renew its relations with Russia at the expense of worsening cooperation with neighboring Ukraine. Official Budapest even openly ignores the commonly agreed position of Brussels regarding Russia’s behavior in Ukraine and temporarily occupied Crimea. It possesses some very serious threats from further Ukraine – Hungarian relations.

The first trip of the US President to Europe created mix feelings regarding the anticipation what a format would be for further development of the EU – US strategic relationships. However, despite anything, there is a fact that the US President is not very much involved and even not interested to be involving into the European affairs. At the same time, the expansion of the NATO at the expense of Montenegro has proved opposite thinking.

The first trip of the US President to Europe created mix feelings regarding the anticipation what a format would be for further development of the EU – US strategic relationships. However, despite anything, there is a fact that the US President is not very much involved and even not interested to be involving into the European affairs. At the same time, the expansion of the NATO at the expense of Montenegro has proved opposite thinking.

The ongoing internal processes in neighboring Moldova poses some very sensitive threats for the national security of Ukraine. Primarily, because the President of Moldova expresses its political wishes to enhance cooperation with Russia and simultaneously, diminish its cooperation with the European Union and NATO. It might cause to internal turbulences in Moldova as a reaction to deepening cooperation with Russia with unpredictable outcomes.

Despite the outcomes of the Brexit and readiness of the Great Britain to leave the European Union in the nearest future, the official Brussels is seeking for the new global trade opportunities. Japan, Mexico and Singapore are among the key priorities. Nevertheless, the European Union is also negotiating with ASEAN and New Zealand regarding the establishing of the new trade relations. Those trends correspond to the national interest of Ukraine

The outcomes of the recent Parliamentary elections conducted in Netherlands in March, 2017 have dispelled anticipations that the European Union is moving towards its sunset. Contrary, the results of the elections have clearly showed that the EU is still a political project, which is attractive for the Europeans. It also gives some grounds to believe that upcoming elections in France and Germany will consolidate these political trends.

The outcomes of the Presidential election in France, which is scheduled on 2017 promise to shake dramatically the whole political landscape in Europe. Ukraine is not the exception primarily because Paris plays leading role on the Normandy format of the settlement situation in Eastern Ukraine. Secondly, because Ukraine seeks to have a broader implementation of the Association agreement with the EU and France has its tools in order to enhance or to lower such activities.

The speech of the Minister for foreign affairs of Poland in the Parliament outlined the major priorities of the Poland’s foreign policy in 2017. Among those elements, supporting Ukraine remains one of the key priority for Warsaw, along with deepening bilateral relations with the Great Britain and France. The cooperation within the NATO and its further enlarging of the European Union are also the cornerstones in the European security system, minister believes.

Росія ще відчує резонанс від рішення Суду ЄС, який фактично визнав, що РФ, як держава, причетна до збройного конфлікту на Сході України. Після цього рішення інші російські компанії із санкційного списку тричі подумають перед тим, як подавати аналогічні позови. Або ж взагалі відмовляться від подібних намірів. Тобто можна вважати, що для Росії шлях боротьби із санкціями судовими методами виявився повністю бесперспективним. А отже їй доведеться негайно шукати інші шляхи послаблення санкцій.