Foreign information policy as an instrument of national security protection: Ukrainian experience

Abstract

The research paper deals with the process of development of Ukraine’s foreign information policy in terms of the objectives of protecting its national security. Its scientific periodization is provided: 1^st stage (1990-1992) – information support of state-building processes; 2^nd stage (1993-1994) – information struggle over the question of “denuclearization” of Ukraine; 3^rd stage (1995-1998) – “simulation” policy, information support of the “multivector” policy; 4^th stage (1999-2004) - crisis response; 5^th stage (2005-2008) – information support of Euro-Atlantic policy, 6^th stage (2009-2013) – information support of attempts to transition to a non-aligned policy; 7^th stage (2014-2016) – responding to information aggression by the Russian Federation. Generalization of experience of the Ukraine’s foreign information policy allows pointing to the factors of systemic weakness of the Ukraine’s foreign information policy that existed before. In particular, institutional weakness which is due to the weakness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a center of the formation of the country’s foreign policy; lack of the foreign policy strategy based on national interests; lack of the established baseline that provides a procedure of the foreign information policy; as instruments of influence on the external environment - including favourable country’s foreign policy image and distribution channels of information influence.

Keywords: Foreign information policy, national security, Ukraine