Vox Populi with Yuriy Onyshkiv: Who is better for Ukraine as U.S. president – Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

Taras Chornovil,
independent lawmaker

“For [President Viktor] Yanu­kovych’s Ukraine, Obama would be a better choice, because he does not care what is going on in Ukraine. He removed Ukraine from his priorities. For Ukraine in general, Romney is more preferable, because after the Iran issue the next thing on his agenda is Russia and after that, the situation with human rights, including, in the post-Soviet countries. If he does not get involved into a war with Iran, he would pressure both Russia and Yanukovych.”

Valeriy Bevz,
59, Communist Party lawmaker

“I consider myself a democrat and I think that Romney is more aggressive compared to Obama. Therefore, I think that Obama is more suitable [for Ukraine].”

Vasyl Kravchuk,
44, Batkiv­shchyna-ByUT faction

“The most important thing for us is that the U.S. and the EU keep their current position regarding undemocratic developments in Ukraine. I think that the U.S. policy favoring more democracy in Ukraine will not change regardless of who wins presidential race in the U.S.”

Mustafa Dzhemilev, 68, Our Ukraine Self Defense faction lawmaker

“I wish Obama paid more attention to Ukraine…But if I were an American I would vote for Romney. Republicans have always had clear-cut position. I think that it would be better for Ukraine if Romney became the next U.S. president.”

Yaroslav Sukhyy, 61, Party of Regions faction lawmaker

“It’s not the president who decides on domestic and foreign policy, but huge industrial groups. Therefore, there would be no difference for Ukraine who wins – Obama or Romney.”