{"id":1403856,"date":"2026-06-11T13:33:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T10:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/vulture-syndrome-why-did-all-the-neighbors-simultaneously-set-their-sights-on-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T13:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T10:33:50","slug":"vulture-syndrome-why-did-all-the-neighbors-simultaneously-set-their-sights-on-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/vulture-syndrome-why-did-all-the-neighbors-simultaneously-set-their-sights-on-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Vulture syndrome: why did all the neighbors simultaneously set their sights on Ukraine?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Source: Author&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02JJmUKc7e4XkTwEwoXm1VssoE5QM8jhUZ9d68uuUhhD14M6uwuzamzMoET5Qvoaayl&#038;id=61560822014814\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Facebook<\/a> page<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <strong>What you feel now, watching the news from Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest or Sofia, is a completely justified, healthy statist anger.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> When a country bleeds in the trenches, defending the eastern flank of civilization, and those it covers with their backs begin to tear apart its political, historical and territorial body, it looks like a surreal nightmare. It causes despair and a logical question: is this a conspiracy? Or is it a coincidence that all the neighbors suddenly pulled out their old cards and started to bill us?<\/p>\n<p> We have witnessed classic geopolitical looting. International politics does not operate in the categories of &#8220;gratitude,&#8221; &#8220;empathy,&#8221; or &#8220;justice.&#8221; It operates exclusively in the categories of power, interest, and window of opportunity. And today it is time for us to finally bury our geopolitical infantilism and figure out why our neighbors are acting like a pack and how the Ukrainian state must break their backs in this diplomatic war. We have found ourselves in the center of a perfect storm, where each neighbor has its own historical trauma, which it is trying to heal at the expense of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p> <strong>Hungary<\/strong> (Taran): Budapest has turned Transcarpathia into its political training ground. The phantom pains of Trianon dictate their policy. They do not demand equality, they demand exclusivity: passportization, language dictate, institutional enclaves and 11 points of the ultimatum, which actually remove part of Ukrainian territory from the educational and cultural sovereignty of Kyiv.<\/p>\n<p> <strong>Poland<\/strong> (Stab in the Back): Warsaw has ignored all the acts of reconciliation of 2003. Sensing our logistical dependence, the Polish elites have begun historical blackmail of Volhynia, multiplying it with economic terror (border blockades). They seek to consolidate for Ukraine the status of an &#8220;eternal guilty junior partner&#8221;, who will pay with economic and moral concessions for the right of transit.<\/p>\n\t\t<aside class=\"shortcode-also\" data-title=\"Read also\" >\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/double-propaganda-how-poland-monopolizes-the-right-to-pain\/\">Double Propaganda: How Poland Monopolizes the Right to Pain<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\n<p> <strong>Romania<\/strong> (Silent Assimilation): Bucharest is acting less loudly than Orban, but no less systematically. The concept of &#8220;Greater Romania&#8221; has not disappeared. They are massively distributing passports in Bukovina and Budjak, financing churches and schools, calmly turning Ukrainian citizens into Romanian political resources under the guise of &#8220;protecting European rights.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> <strong>Slovakia<\/strong> (Economic Parasitism): The Fico government openly relays Kremlin narratives, blocks military support, but continues to earn on transit. They play on Moscow&#8217;s side just enough to squeeze maximum economic preferences out of us and Brussels.<\/p>\n<p> <strong>Bulgaria<\/strong> (Trojan Horse in the South): New Front. Sofia begins to exploit the issue of Southern Bessarabia. Under the guise of &#8220;derussification&#8221; of the Bulgarian minority, they are preparing the ground for educational ultimatums. And their radicals are already openly drawing maps where Budzhak becomes &#8220;Bulgarian land.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> <strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">But why did they attack now?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p> The neighbors did not conspire at the same table, but their actions are completely synchronous. This synchronicity is dictated by four iron factors of our temporary vulnerability:<\/p>\n<p> 1. The Smell of Blood and Logistics<br \/> Weakness provokes aggression. Our neighbors understand perfectly well: Ukraine is currently in a state of existential war. Our ports are partially blocked, our skies are closed. Warsaw, Bucharest and Bratislava are our legions, through which weapons, fuel and bread pass. They cynically decided: &#8220;If Kyiv depends on our roads, we can twist its hands on issues of history, language and territorial organization. They have no choice, they will agree.&#8221; This is trading our survival in exchange for their national interests.<\/p>\n\t\t<aside class=\"shortcode-also\" data-title=\"Read also\" data-right>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/the-real-denazification-how-the-ukrainian-nation-is-slowly-being-liquidated-by-the-hands-of-the-west\/\">The real \u201cdenazification\u201d: how the Ukrainian nation is slowly being liquidated by the hands of the West<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\n<p> 2. European integration guillotine<br \/> EU accession has become a trap of institutional blackmail for us. EU rules give each member state a veto right at any stage of the negotiations. Neighbors no longer need armies to bite off our sovereignty. They only need one vote in Brussels. Orb\u00e1n, Tusk, or Fico can block an entire negotiating chapter, demanding a &#8220;special status&#8221; for their minorities or forcing us to give up our own memory. European integration has become the perfect legal tool for dismantling our internal subjectivity.<\/p>\n<p> 3. The Russian conductor and hybrid war<br \/> It would be criminally naive not to see Moscow\u2019s shadow behind this parade of claims. Russia, having failed in its attempt to capture Kyiv in three days, has switched to a strategy of balkanizing Ukraine. They have poured billions into Eastern European radicals for decades. The Hungarian Jobbik, the Romanian AUR, the Polish Confederation, the Bulgarian Vazrazhdane, the Slovak Smer \u2013 all this is a network fueled by the Kremlin. Russia is using its neighbors as political proxies to open a second front against us \u2013 a front of internal division, historical enmity, and mistrust.<\/p>\n<p> 4. Cheap electoral parasitism<br \/> For the political dwarfs of neighboring states, Ukraine has become an ideal victim for domestic elections. Why should the Polish prime minister solve the complex systemic problems of his farmers when he can block the Ukrainian border and become the &#8220;defender of the nation&#8221;? Why should Romanian or Bulgarian politicians develop the economy when they can play on the strings of historical resentment and gain votes by shouting about &#8220;saving compatriots&#8221; in Ukraine? We have become a free PR platform for them.<\/p>\n<p> <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>What Ukraine should do IMMEDIATELY:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> We must stop reflecting as victims. We cannot be comfortable any longer. If we continue to give in under the guise of &#8220;European values,&#8221; we risk winning the war in Russia but losing a state torn to shreds by our &#8220;Western friends.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> Ukraine needs a radical turnaround in the Doctrine of National Interest.<\/p>\n\t\t<aside class=\"shortcode-also\" data-title=\"Read also\" >\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/poland-again-remembered-the-crimes-of-the-upa-how-to-respond-to-ukraine\/\">Poland again remembered the \u201ccrimes of the UPA\u201d: how to respond to Ukraine<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\n<p> <strong>Tough mirror diplomacy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> The time for silently swallowing ultimatums is over. Every demand from Budapest, Warsaw or Sofia must be matched by a symmetrical demand from Kyiv, supported by facts. Are you demanding schools for Hungarians in Transcarpathia? Where are the state Ukrainian gymnasiums in Budapest? Are you demanding exhumations in Volhynia? Where are the restored Ukrainian monuments on Monastyr Mountain and in Hrushovychy? Are you demanding a special status for the Bulgarian language in Bessarabia? Show us the Ukrainian cultural autonomies in Bulgaria. Any game must be played exclusively on the basis of reciprocity. No means no for both.<\/p>\n<p> <strong>Institutional cleansing of the border area.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> The state must return to its border regions with an iron grip. Transcarpathia, Bessarabia, Bukovina cannot be a free hunting zone for foreign funds. All financial flows that go to support minorities from neighboring states must undergo a strict financial and security audit by the SBU and the Ministry of Finance. Whoever pays a teacher shapes his worldview. We must flood these regions with Ukrainian money, Ukrainian content, and Ukrainian bonuses. The Ukrainian state must become the only and unalternative patron for all its citizens, regardless of their ethnic origin.<\/p>\n<p> <strong>Asymmetric alliances.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> We need to stop beating our foreheads against the wall in dealing with blackmailers. If Warsaw or Budapest block us, we have to go over their heads. Ukrainian diplomacy must build a strong axis with Washington, London, Stockholm, Helsinki, and the Baltic states. It is these heavyweight states (or states that understand the real existential threat) that should put pressure on our Eastern European neighbors through NATO mechanisms and EU funds. Orban or Fico understand only the language of power and money &#8211; this language should be voiced to them by those who give them this money.<\/p>\n\t\t<aside class=\"shortcode-also\" data-title=\"Read also\" data-right>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/morality-with-a-double-bottom-poland-and-the-upa\/\">Morality with a double bottom: Poland and the UPA<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\n<p> <strong>Nationalization of historical memory.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> We are on our own land. We will not ask permission from Warsaw who we should consider heroes. We will not ask permission from Sofia how we should divide districts in the Odessa region. We must clearly articulate: territorial integrity, administrative structure, state language and national pantheon of memory are not subject to bargaining for entry into any unions. Europe respects only those who respect themselves.<\/p>\n<p> <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> The fact that our neighbors are staring at us today is a test of our statehood for maturity. We must stop being surprised by their cynicism. This is not the end of the world, this is simply the true face of geopolitics. We are not shedding blood in the east and south to surrender the west and Bessarabia in the European integration offices. The time for apologies is over. It is time to dictate our terms.<\/p>\n<p> Ukraine today is a wounded lion, around which jackals have gathered, waiting for it to weaken in a battle with a bear. But a lion has no right to die, and has no right to share its meat. We must grow such diplomatic and institutional fangs that any ultimatum will break or we will be torn apart into souvenirs by those who smile at us today at diplomatic receptions. And for this we need a national Ukraine-centric policy for Ukraine, a Doctrine of the National Interest for Ukrainians.<\/p>\n<p> Also follow <strong>\u201cPryamim\u201d<\/strong> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pryamiy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Facebook<\/a> , <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/prm_ua\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">X<\/a> , <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/+rtV4dxYu2_cyNjVi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Telegram<\/a> , and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pryamiy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram.<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>\u2022 Materials published in the \u201cOPINIONS\u201d section reflect the opinion of the author of the publication, who bears full responsibility for the accuracy of the information.<\/em><\/span><br \/> <span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>\u2022 The editorial staff of prm.ua may not share the opinions expressed in the author&#8217;s material.<\/em><\/span><br \/> <span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>\u2022 The owner of the webpage in the \u201cOPINIONS\u201d section is the author of the publication.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Source: Author&#8217;s Facebook page What you feel now, watching the news from Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest or Sofia, is a completely justified, healthy statist anger. When a country bleeds in the trenches, defending the eastern flank of civilization, and those it covers with their backs begin to tear apart its political, historical and territorial body, it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":1321939,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[76871,76872,76893],"class_list":["post-1403856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-2","category-news-feed","category-thoughts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1403856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1403856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1403856\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1321939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1403856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1403856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}