Donald Trump’s rise to power has led to changes in the policies of many Western corporations, which are rapidly abandoning leftist values and the rhetoric of “diversity.” It is clear that conservatism will play a greater role in global politics in the coming years, and Ukraine should take this into account.
Conservatism is rapidly gaining influence in the world. In addition to the dominance of the American conservatives, the CDU/CSU is in power in the richest EU country, Germany. The United States and Europe are making a slow but steady turn from the left of the political spectrum to the center-right.
Ukraine, which is extremely dependent on Western aid, especially from the United States and Germany, must take into account the ideological changes in the policies of our key partners. This means that Ukraine’s state policy should also be pursued in a center-right, conservative, and Christian democratic direction.
Those left-liberal initiatives in Kyiv that might have pleased the ruling officials in Washington yesterday may turn out to be harmful and dangerous for us today, as their adherents on Capitol Hill have not only become outsiders but also irritate the representatives of the new government.
One can be as positive as one wants about LGBT people, feminists, and diversity policy, but the Ukrainian government should take into account the ideological position of the ruling conservatives in the United States when implementing reforms in these or related areas.
Trump and his entourage are already angry with liberal and leftist programs in the United States and are already canceling the most scandalous of them. And it would be imprudent for Ukraine to adopt any of the liberal laws that the entire Republican Party in the United States opposes.
And given that Trump, to put it mildly, has been reluctant to help Ukraine with money and weapons, it would be irrational for the Ukrainian government to also adopt some leftist initiatives that would irritate the traditionally conservative Ukrainian society and also cause fury among the Republicans in the White House. An irresistible desire to legalize some of the unusual and unacceptable leftist ideas in Ukraine could result in many deaths and lost territories for our country.
Although foreign funding for those who proposed initiatives that are not typical for Ukrainian society has decreased, there are still enough left-liberal initiatives among civic activists who are trying to exert influence in the Ukrainian segment of social media. If under Biden the Ukrainian state had to pretend, now it should be itself-a country with traditional conservative values that respects the equality of people and does not give privileges to anyone based on gender or perceived identity. A country where the church, Ukrainian soldiers and families are honored, not called “subjects of discrimination.” A country where our language, our heroes, our history are not sacrificed to please minorities who sometimes follow instructions from other, unfriendly capitals.
In the next few years, the world will see an increase in the influence of conservative forces. Therefore, Ukraine should take advantage of this possibly short period when respecting and honoring its culture, traditions, and national values is not only possible and recommended, but also critical to our survival as a nation, even from a geopolitical perspective.
Author: Valeriy Maydanyuk