Support and help Republik of North Macedonia in Ukraine under full-scale russian aggression

Abstract

The purpose. Consider the main components of the aid of the Republic of North Macedonia to Ukraine in the conditions of a full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine and the Russian-Ukrainian war (February 2022 – August 2023).

The scientific novelty. The author made an attempt for the first time, based on the systematization of current materials from electronic resources, to find out and evaluate the diplomatic, military, trade, economic and humanitarian assistance of the Republic of North Macedonia to Ukraine during the Russian aggression against Ukraine in the specified period.

The research methodology consists in applying the chronological-problematic principle of current news analysis from open electronic sources of the Google search engine.

Conclusions. The formation and development of interstate relations between Ukraine and Macedonia – as of 2018, the Republic of North Macedonia (RPM) – began after they gained independence in 1991. Ukraine's support of Macedonia at the UN, Ukrainian assistance with weapons to the Macedonian army to protect the threat to the country's territorial integrity gave impetus to the formation of a positive image of Ukraine in Macedonian society.

The RPM strongly condemned the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine in 2022. It joins all the sanctions of the leading international organizations against the Russian Federation, supported the idea of ​​creating a Special Tribunal for crimes of Russian aggression, a guarantee of security for Ukraine, the Ukrainian “peace formula”, and Ukraine's aspirations for membership in NATO and the European Union. Of great importance are the visits of senior officials of the RPM to Ukraine and, in particular, their willingness to help in the reconstruction of destroyed Ukrainian cities.

North Macedonia was the first of the Balkan countries to deliver weapons to the Ukrainian army, and handed over emergency energy equipment to Ukraine. The new free trade agreement between them creates important prospects for both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The so-called “transport visa-free” contributes to solving the problems of transportation of products.

There is a Community of Ukrainians in the Ukrainian People's Republic of Ukraine, which conducts activities to spread information about events in Ukraine and organize humanitarian aid. Several thousand Ukrainian refugees have received asylum and are provided with employment and social protection assistance. Meetings of Ukrainian and Macedonian scientists, leading politicians, journalists and public figures are held, and cooperation between Ukrainian and Macedonian educational institutions is carried out.