Crisis of Trust as a Factor of Economic Stagnation in Ukraine

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of the trust crisis in Ukraine as a strategic challenge for statehood during the wartime and post-war periods. It analyzes the historical preconditions and institutional factors behind the formation of distrust in government, identifying the key features of the current crisis- the decline in the legitimacy of political institutions, the “cycle of rapid disillusionment” with new authorities, intolerance of corruption, and increased vulnerability to information attacks.

The article outlines the political, economic, social, and security consequences of distrust, which make it a multidimensional problem directly affecting the pace of reforms, investment attractiveness, societal mobilization, and the international image of the state. A comprehensive roadmap for overcoming the crisis is proposed, combining institutional reforms (judicial independence, anti-corruption measures, modernization of the civil service) with tactical “quick wins” (local improvements in services, communications, and defense procurement).

Three possible scenarios for Ukraine’s development-breakthrough, inertial, and crisis-are presented depending on the effectiveness of reforms and the level of government transparency. The author emphasizes that trust is not an emotional category but a strategic resource of national security and sustainable development, without which neither victory in the war nor the country’s future competitiveness can be ensured.