
Ukraine, the EU and Economic Integration
Opportunities and Challenges
Oleg Tankovsky(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 13. February 2026
Book
Hardback
156 pages
978-1-041-14200-3 (ISBN)
Description
This book addresses a central puzzle in the study of European integration: why have some post-communist countries successfully embedded democratic and market institutions after EU accession or candidacy, while others have faltered or regressed?
The book utilizes principal component analysis to create a unique composite indicator for EU integration readiness, offering a novel approach to assessing economic and social factors. It provides an extensive comparative study of Ukraine's integration readiness alongside Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia, and Macedonia. It goes beyond economic indicators, addressing non-economic obstacles such as identity-seeking problems and oligarchic ecosystems, making it a holistic resource for understanding the complexities of EU integration. Introducing the original distinction between self-contained and exported Europeanisation, the book offers a new comparative framework that explains divergent integration outcomes across Central Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. By combining theory-driven analysis with country case studies, it demonstrates how the balance between domestic political commitment and EU conditionality shapes long-term integration success.
Bridging economics, European studies, comparative politics, and international political economy, this timely book speaks to scholars, students, and policymakers interested in the future of Europe's eastern frontier.
The book utilizes principal component analysis to create a unique composite indicator for EU integration readiness, offering a novel approach to assessing economic and social factors. It provides an extensive comparative study of Ukraine's integration readiness alongside Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia, and Macedonia. It goes beyond economic indicators, addressing non-economic obstacles such as identity-seeking problems and oligarchic ecosystems, making it a holistic resource for understanding the complexities of EU integration. Introducing the original distinction between self-contained and exported Europeanisation, the book offers a new comparative framework that explains divergent integration outcomes across Central Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. By combining theory-driven analysis with country case studies, it demonstrates how the balance between domestic political commitment and EU conditionality shapes long-term integration success.
Bridging economics, European studies, comparative politics, and international political economy, this timely book speaks to scholars, students, and policymakers interested in the future of Europe's eastern frontier.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Academic and Postgraduate
Illustrations
9 s/w Tabellen, 11 s/w Abbildungen, 11 s/w Zeichnungen
9 Tables, black and white; 11 Line drawings, black and white; 11 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
388 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-041-14200-3 (9781041142003)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€60.49
Available for download

E-Book
02/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€60.49
Available for download
Person
Oleg Tankovsky is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and International Economics, University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary.
Content
1. Introduction 2. International Integrations in general 3. International Political Economy, Regimes, and Path Dependence in Ukraine 4. Methodology 5. Ukraine's Macroeconomic Foundations Before and After the War 6. Economic Reforms Since 2014: Mapping the Transformation 7. Comparative Assessment of EU Candidate Countries 8. Foreign Policy Analysis 9. Conflict, Identity, and EU Accession Obstacles in the framework of case studies 10. Discussion and Conclusions