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The purpose of this article is to analyze the role of U.S. governmental and non-governmental institutions in supporting democratic values in Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. It examines how American assistance has contributed to preserving Ukraine’s democratic governance, sovereignty, and political freedoms during the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict (war). The article also provides an overview of key U.S. institutions and organizations that have actively supported Ukraine’s democratic aspirations through financial aid, technical assistance, and institutional reforms. The methodological basis of the study includes a thorough review of publications from the websites of relevant organizations and agencies, official reports and news for 2022–2024. The research also draws on analytical works from prominent U.S. think tanks, including the Brookings Institution and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, alongside data from surveys conducted by the National Democratic Institute and Razumkov Center. Comparative analysis and case studies are used to assess the feasibility of U.S. support in areas like anti-corruption initiatives, civil society development, and local governance reforms. The scientific novelty of the article lies in its holistic approach to understanding the diverse dimensions of U.S. support for democratic values in Ukraine. Unlike previous studies, which focus on specific aspects of U.S.–Ukraine cooperation, this research presents a comprehensive examination of how American institutions, including the U.S. Department of State, USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) etc. are making efforts to strengthen democracy in Ukraine during the war. The author concludes that U.S. assistance is important for Ukraine’s democratic foundations. However, it has not yet addressed such problems as the decline in Ukrainians’ trust in government institutions, which underscores the need for continued efforts to increase transparency, anti-corruption measures, and accountability to bring Ukraine closer to European standards in the long run.

This article demonstrates how the ‘Ukrainian Shield’ has protected European civilization for more than a thousand years of turbulence. The article also develops a periodization of this phenomenon. Scientific novelty. Despite a thorough study of some aspects of the topic, the Ukrainian Shield hypothesis as a unifying theme has not been adequately covered in Ukrainian historiography. The authors show the leading role of Ukraine in the struggle against various enemies who tried to conquer European countries, and we define the chronological boundaries and develop a periodization of this process. Methodology. The study uses a civilizational approach, methods of analogy and periodization, historical, chronological comparative and analytical methods. Conclusions. For more than 1155 years, the Ukrainian Crystal Shield has defended European civilization from various enemies, with the Ukrainian population bearing an enormous cost. This process began in 867, when the legendary Kyivan Princes Askold and Dir defeated the Pechenegs, and continues in 2023, when Ukrainians stopped the resurgent Moscow horde that threatens the whole world. The periodization of the Ukrainian Shield was developed on the basis of the stages of Ukrainian statehood. Stage I. Princely Statehood: wars with the Pechenegs (867-1036); with the Torks (1055-1060); with the Polovtsians (Cumans) (1060-1238); with the Mongol-Tatars (1223-1241). Stage II. Cossack Era: confrontation with the Turks and Tatars (1478-1775). Stage III. The Ukrainian National Revolution: the struggle of the Ukrainian insurgency against the march of the Bolsheviks’ World Revolution (1917-1923). Stage IV. The Modern Ukrainian Independent State: the Russian-Ukrainian war (2014-2023). The Ukrainian Shield protected European civilization from the Pechenegs, Torks, Polovtsians, Mongol-Tatars, Turks, Bolsheviks, and continues to protect it from Russian aggression since February 24, 2022. For 667 years out of the past 1155 years, Ukraine has been engaged in open conflict to repel invaders. Many of the “peaceful” years were spent preparing for the next onslaught. These long and bloody wars, often waged against superior opponents, has required enormous effort, along with material and human resources from Ukrainians. The principal beneficiaries of Ukrainian heroism have been the peoples of central and western Europe. Funding. The article is published within the international project Erasmus+ in the direction of Jean Monnet Module «Implementation of European values as a basis of democracy in Ukraine» (EVADEM – 101085843 – ERASMUS-JMO-2022-MODULE).

The purpose of the article is to research basis, experience, and practical ways of the implementation of U.S. security (defense) assistance to Ukraine. The current study considers the institutional and legal framework for providing U.S. defense support to Ukraine; explores the preconditions for strengthening U.S. military assistance at modern stage; analyzes the possible consequences of such support for the United States; gives an overall assessment of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since 2014. The methodological basis of the study includes a set of general and special research methods. The systematic method allowed to consider the process of providing military assistance to Ukraine by the United States as a multilevel system. First, military support to Ukraine is considered in the format of mechanisms that promote comprehensive military assistance to Ukraine. Second, it is observed as an element of foreign policy strategies of the U.S. administrations since 2014. Third, the overall impact of U.S. assistance to Ukraine is studied in the format of a security environment at the regional and global levels of international relations. The comparative method helped to compare the volumes and effectiveness of security assistance under Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations. Statistical methods were used as the basis for the objective study and allowed to consider features and scope of assistance in the period from 2014 to 2022. The scientific novelty lies in one of the first attempts among Ukrainian authors to make an overall analysis of current situation in Ukraine, – active phase of Russian aggression against our state, – given the fact that domestic scientists are just beginning to study comprehensively foreign military and defense assistance that Ukraine receives from international partners, including the United States. In this regard, the authors pay special attention to reviewing American and British sources as well as current news and analytical reports. Summing up, the authors confirm significance of American security support for effective military counteraction to Russia and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

The article is devoted to the problems of racial discrimination and the anti-segregation struggle for the rights of Black citizens in American society. This problem remains relevant despite the successes of the civil rights movement and the activities of many organizations in support of the Coloured population. In this regard, the primary tasks are the following: to study the phenomenon of segregation as an instrument of racism; to identify the roots of segregation policies and the turning points in history that allowed it to be implemented; to study the evolution of the civil rights movement and to determine its achievements; to explore the phenomenon of Black Power, its impact on the consciousness of Blacks and American society in general; and to discuss the current state of American society on the subject of social justice, taking into account interethnic communication. The methodological background of the current study includes a set of general and special research methods that could be partially represented by the followings. The descriptive-historical and chronological approaches allowed to examine the outlined issues in historical retrospect and to track changes in both segregation policy and the civil rights movement. The integrated approach helped to connect different aspects of the studied problem and to link them to specific events, which made it possible to give a holistic assessment of the state of American society from the late 19th to the early 21th centuries. The research used statistical, analytical and comparative methods that were applied to analyse the situation on educational segregation and rates of living and safety of the Black population in the U.S. society. Scientific novelty involves conducting a comprehensive research based on American sources and examining the works of specialists in the field of African American studies, with the aim of their further introduction into the domestic scientific circulation. Finally, the authors conclude that despite racial segregation was not eliminated during the rise of civil rights movement, it put the new beginning for the long-term positive shifts in American society that gives hope for improving relations between Blacks and Whites and maintaining social justice for all ethnical minorities.

The purpose of the article is to explore proliferation of firearms in the United States due to social problems (mass shootings) and public demand for increasing gun control. Primary challenges cover exploring the U.S. firearms history, which provides a key to understanding the causes of the current situation in this area; reviewing of Americans’ attitudes toward gun ownership; studying the U.S. foreign policy in the context of arms exports from Ukraine to the United States. Moreover, attention is paid to exploring the influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Donald Trump’s decision on arms control and a comparative analysis of his gun policy with the policy of his predecessors. The methodological basis of the study includes a set of general and special research methods. Systematic approach is used to consider the U.S. gun policy as a complex system with the determinism of domestic and foreign policy levels. A significant role is played by descriptive-historical and chronological methods that allow to examine the evolution of the U.S. legal framework for firearms and small-arms control. The comparative method makes it possible to compare the approaches of George W. Bush’s, Barack Obama’s and Donald Trump’s administrations to the gun policy. The statistical method allows to consider the peculiarities of the U.S. exports of small arms and Ukraine’s exports of such type of weapons to the USA. The scientific novelty lies in one of the first attempts among Ukrainian authors to make a comprehensive analysis of the interdependence of internal and external aspects of firearms trafficking among the U.S. civilians. In this context, the paper examines the U.S.–Ukrainian relations. The study concludes that the U.S. gun traditions are the main stumbling block for tightening firearms legislation. On the gun issue, the U.S. domestic policy, which is heavily influenced by the NRA, determines the state’s foreign policy. At the same time, society is demanding reforms aimed at restricting the possession of firearms by the civilian population, which may increase the level of domestic security.

The article focuses on studying the evolution of the U.S. society and exploring phenomena of racism and slavery. Given the fact that the modern American society is considered as the field of numerous opportunities for every person, it is worth to track its transformation and to identify the key milestones or turning points of the U.S. history in this regard. The author identifies racism as one of the slavery’s reasons, condemning the both phenomena and exploring the ways of resisting them among Americans in the first years of the United States of America as a new independent and single state. Thus, the following tasks of the research are defined: to determine the concepts of racism and slavery; to find out the origins and background of slavery in the early period of the U.S. establishing; to explore the status of African Americans in the U.S. society as well as dual standards of equality between Americans; to track the evolution of American society’s views on slavery and discrimination; and to observe the consequences of the Abolitionist movement for the further development of the U.S. society. It is stated that the black Africans appeared in the British colonies of North America because of inevitable labor problem, faced by the first settlers, forced to seek cheap or free labor hands. Primary, the Africans were brought to America as indentured staff. In 1640–1641, in Massachusetts, some types of slavery became allowed, and the other states followed such a suit. Slaves were brought from the slave factories established along the west coast of Africa from Cape Verde to the equator. The enslaved Africans did not put up with fate and protested in various ways, supported by the sympathetic Whites (philanthropists, Quakers, pastors, statesmen). Regular uprisings, protests, and strikes, the spread of agitation literature greatly contributed to protection of slaves. Thus, the Abolitionist movement was founded. Thanks to it, the slave owners were resisted, the proper laws were adopted and slavery was eventually abolished. However, the legal abolition did not totally eradicate racism from the subconscious of Americans, which is now echoed.

The article deals with the European aspects of the US foreign policy in the 2nd half of the 20th century. It also includes studies of the transatlantic relations of the described period and the exploration of an American influence on European integration processes. It is determined that the United States has demonstrated itself as a partner of the Western governments in the post-war reconstruction and further creation of an area of US security and prosperity. At the same time, it is noted that the American presidents have differently shaped their administrations’ policies towards Europe. The greatest supporter of the European integration processes was President Eisenhower. Among other things, the US President believed that Europe would become a key ally of the United States, thus, he considered the union of Sweden, Greece, Spain and Yugoslavia as a solid foundation for building a “United States of Europe”. After Eisenhower administration, European affairs, to a lesser extent, were taken up by such Presidents as Johnson, Carter, Reagan and Clinton. Showing no personal interest, Kennedy, Nixon and Bush-Sr. were forced to support the transatlantic dialogue, understanding the inevitability of European integration and the need for the United States to cooperate with the new consolidated actor. The United States aimed to strengthen its position in the European space, moving to that purpose by using NATO mechanisms and applying the policies of American protectionism against the communist threat. The main competitor of the United States for strengthening national positions in Europe was France led by General de Gaulle, who believed that the affairs of Europe should be resolved by European governments without the American intervention. However, NATO continued to serve as a springboard for the U.S. involvement in European affairs. At the end of the 20th century, through the close links between the EU and NATO, the USA received new allies from Central and Eastern European countries. It is concluded that after the end of World War II, Europe needed an assistance that the United States willingly provided in exchange for the ability to participate in European issues, solving and partly controlling the integration processes. The study found that, despite the varying degree of the American interest in transatlantic affairs, Europe has consistently been remaining a zone of national interest for the United States.