Ukraine's victory over populists matters for Europe - Fukuyama

Current democratic transformations in Ukraine are actually part of the global process of struggle for democracy with populism and authoritarianism, so the success of Ukrainians will be of great significance not only to Europe, but also to the world as a whole.

Professor at Stanford University Francis Fukuyama Such said this at the Atlantic Council in Washington on Thursday, March 29, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"Ukraine is really at the forefront of a broad struggle for liberal democracy with various populists and authoritarian forces in the world right now," he said.

He stressed that Ukraine is an important country in Europe and Eurasia, but the impact of what is happening in the country is going to resound through other parts of the world.

While describing the struggle for democracy in Ukraine, Fukuyama noted that the Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2014 had failed, because, in his opinion, there was not sufficient appreciation of the need to develop institutions and there was not follow-up in terms of corruption and in terms of developing a state that could deliver effective services to its people. 

"As a result, unfortunately, Ukrainian civil society had to go through that whole process for a second time, with the Maidan Revolution of Dignity," Fukuyama said. 

He said that the reason why this happened was, among other things, that Russia was investing so much time and effort trying to undermine that democratic experiment.

"The success of that transition will matter for Europe, and it'll matter for the world more broadly," Fukuyama said.

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