Peculiarities of Ensuring Sustainable Development of Ukraine in the Context of Socio-Political Challenges

Purpose: The key objective of the research was to identify opportunities and benefits, as well as threats and risks faced by Ukrainian society in the process of implementing a sustainable development model in the context of uncertainty and turbulence of the external environment in which Ukraine is currently experiencing. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research used both general scientific and special research methods, namely: literature review, institutional analysis, comparative analysis and application of the index method. An analysis of the indicators of sustainable development of Ukraine with similar indicators of the countries of the comparative group was carried out. The study proves the hypothesis that it is possible to apply the methodological approach “beyond GDP” to assess sustainable development. The existence of a correlation between the index of economic freedom and the index of sensitivity to corruption is established. The profile of Ukraine in terms of sustainable development indicators is described. The main reasons for the transition to sustainable development of Ukraine in the period of post-war recovery are identified. Findings: Based on the conducted research, the relationship between the corruption sensitivity indices, economic freedom and sustainable development has been determined. At the same time, the transition to sustainable development requires an increase in the degree of economic freedom, which, in turn, implies a reduction in administrative barriers and an active fight against corruption and a reduction in its level. A source of opportunities for Ukraine is its focus on increasing exports of high-tech products, which is possible through the introduction of intensive production. In the context of external aggression, security issues are a priority for Ukraine, but it has been determined that the Ukrainian community should already be developing projects aimed at implementing a sustainable development model during the period of economic recovery. Practical Implications: The results of the research can be used both at the level of local and state authorities in the process of forming and implementing a sustainable development model in the current conditions, as well as during the period of post-war recovery and socio-economic development of Ukraine. The obtained results are also the basis for further research for a comparative analysis of the indicators of sustainable development of Ukraine. Originality/Value: For the first time, the methodological approach “beyond GDP” is used for a comparative analysis of the indicators of sustainable development of Ukraine and the identification of opportunities and threats to balancing the economic, environmental, social and institutional spheres of public life. The essence of the applied methodological approach is to expand the subject field of the study and use a system of indices, which makes it possible to avoid GDP as an indicator of social development and move to the definition of human development without a monetary equivalent.