THEORETICAL BASIS OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical foundations of the strategic development of the national economy. Key aspects of modern challenges for the economies of countries are investigated. The main areas of development should be:  1. Diversification of the economic structure: reducing dependence on individual sectors and markets increases the resilience of the national economy to external challenges. 2. Investing in human capital: education, science and technology are important factors in ensuring international competitiveness. 3.  Infrastructure development: modernization of transport, energy and digital components contributes to the country's integration into global economic processes and opens up new prospects for international cooperation. 4. Guaranteeing economic security: creating mechanisms to counter external risks, in particular financial shocks or trade barriers, remains a priority for sustainable development. It is noted that economic development is taking place against the backdrop of significant geopolitical changes, profound economic transformations, and accelerated globalization processes. This issue is particularly relevant due to the full-scale military aggression that has been ongoing since the beginning of 2022.  Despite significant financial assistance from partners (the total amount is over 56 billion US dollars in 2022–2024), the country's economy has suffered a significant negative impact. In particular, the loss of infrastructure, industrial enterprises, and a decline in GDP by more than 30% in 2022 are vivid evidence of the scale of the impact of the war on the economy. According to analysts, the total cost of recovery over the next decade will be about 500 billion US dollars. Analysis of historical development, combined with the study of current trends, plays a key role in the formation of effective strategies for ensuring sustainable economic growth in the face of dynamic global changes. Ukraine’s historical experience emphasizes the importance of international integration, structural reforms, and economic diversification to achieve sustained growth and stability. The specific features of Ukraine’s economic system define it as a unique entity in the global economic space. Despite significant challenges, including military conflicts and economic shocks, the country has demonstrated its ability to actively adapt to new realities, using international support as an important factor in ensuring long-term development. The processes of European integration and the prospects for post-war recovery open up additional opportunities for Ukraine’s deeper integration into the world economy. International financial assistance has become one of the key factors in stabilizing Ukraine’s macro-financial situation, as well as ensuring the viability of the state budget in the context of the ongoing military conflict. An analysis of the current situation demonstrates the critical importance of international support as the main mechanism for ensuring the country’s financial stability and its strategic development in the context of military and economic challenges.