UNIT 1 UKRAINIAN DIPLOMACY: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

1. When did Ukrainian diplomacy start? What was the impact of Byzantine

and Roman traditions upon the old Ukrainian diplomacy?

What do you know about the Old Rus-Ukrainian State diplomacy?

What were the main diplomatic acievements of Yaroslav the Wise?

What do you know about dynastic marriages as a method of diplomacy?

Can you give some examples of dynastic marriages? What

do you know about the Ukrain ian Sich diplomacy? What were Hetman

Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s diplomatic acievements? What do you

know about Ivan Mazepa and Pylyp Orlyk as diplomats?

2. You are going to read a text about the beginnings of Ukrainian

diplomacy. Which of the following concepts can you expect in thetext?

Why or why not?

Byzantium United States Poland Ottoman Empire France

Sweden Hungary German Empire Transylvania Norway

Emperor President Prince Press Secretary King

Hetman Sultan Tsar Commissar Envoy

Messenger Cossack Sacred League Christian Jewish

Sich Europe Asia America Moscovia

Latin Turkish English Prosper Merime Mark Twain

3. Read the text about the beginnings of Ukrainian diplomacy. Choose

the most suitable heading from the list (A – F) to each part (0 – 5)

of the article. There is one extra heading which you do not need to

use. There is an example at the beginning.

A. A new chance

B. A new-generation leader

C. Tracing back to antique traditions 0

D. Failed expectations

E. At the forefront of Christianity

F. Matrimonial diplomacy

0. Foreign policy service of Ukraine has long and strong traditions based,

first and foremost, on the diplomatic experience of Kyivska Rus’-Ukraine. At

the same time, the cradle of Ukrainian diplomacy is much older. That is why

one should apparently trace its roots to the turn of Byzantine and Roman

traditions forming the basis of all modern European states.