THE RAIL BALTICA PROJECT AS A COMPONENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION STRATEGY OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the solution of the urgent problems of strengthening the economic potential of the national economy and improving the logistical ways of supplying Ukrainian exports. Full integration of Ukraine into the EU should be comprehensive and include adaptation to the European system of communication routes it was determined. It has been established that one of the important stages of integration into the trans-European rail transport system should be the accession of Ukraine to the Trans-Baltic Rail Baltica project. The purpose of the study is to investigate the concept of integration of the system of international rail transportation and passenger transportation of Ukraine and the EU on the example of the implementation of the Trans-Baltic Rail Baltica project. The current state, potential, stages of project implementation and prospects for Ukraine joining this project it was determined. The object of the study is the process of Ukraine's integration into the system of the trans-European network of transport routes.  The methods used in the research.  Method of scientific knowledge, methods of analysis, synthesis, method of generalization, comparison, methods of induction and deduction. The hypothesis of the study consists in the assumption of the need to develop an organizational mechanism ("road map") for Ukraine's integration into the trans-European transport system. Presenting main material. The article examines the current state of logistics routes that ensure the transportation of Ukrainian exports to Europe and the transit capabilities of European ports for the transcontinental transportation of Ukrainian goods. Some difficulties still exist in exporting goods through the seaports of Ukraine. The transit potential of the borders of the Baltic countries for Ukrainian exports has been determined. Attention is also focused on the fact that road transport cannot be the only alternative for transport connections between Ukraine and the EU. The main problem of delivering Ukrainian exports to the ports of the Baltic Sea, and mostly to the entire European market by rail is the different width of the railway tracks. The work describes the modern Rail Baltica project, which is aimed at integrating the Baltic countries into the trans-European rail transportation system. The importance, specifics of implementation and prospects of joining Ukraine in this project have been determined. The originality and practical significance of the study is justification of the need for Ukraine to join the Rail Baltica project from the point of view of national economic and military-political security, as well as the security of the entire region. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The conducted research made it possible to determine that the development of the process of Ukraine's integration into the EU involves the development of a strategy for the integration of Ukraine into the European system of passenger and cargo transportation. Joining the Rail Baltica project will increase Ukraine's expert potential. The Rail Baltica project with the participation of Ukraine has the opportunity to improve the logistics routes of connections on the entire European continent.