The Right to Life and the Problem of Legalizing Euthanasia in Ukraine

Abstract. The article highlights the main positions for and against the legalization of euthanasia as a human right to death from different perspectives - social, religious, legal, and moral and ethical. Ukraine, as a democratic state, must comply with the international acts it has ratified and pay attention to the trends in Europe and the world, borrowing from the positive experience of these countries. On the other hand, our state should also take into account its own historical development, traditions that have been formed in our society, including the moral, ethical and religious component. The author emphasizes that in the modern period of human existence, the assessment of euthanasia causes many controversies both in the moral, ethical and medical space. It is noted that the main contradiction lies in the discrepancy between the humane purpose of euthanasia (liberation of a person from suffering) and the inhumane method of achieving it through the deprivation of life. The author indicates the conditions that must be met in those countries where euthanasia is legal, namely: the right to perform euthanasia is exclusively within the competence of a physician; the patient's condition must be critical; euthanasia can only be performed voluntarily. Concludes that the issue of legalizing euthanasia in Ukraine is currently becoming quite controversial. On the one hand, there are people who believe that every person has the right to die with dignity and has the opportunity to end their suffering if it becomes unbearable. On the other hand, there are significant ethical, religious and legal objections to euthanasia. The decision on whether to introduce euthanasia at the legislative level should be a balanced one and should take into account the existing controversies, the positions of international organizations, public associations, and public opinion in general. Potentially, if a law on the possibility of legalizing euthanasia is ever adopted, clear legal mechanisms and guarantees should be established to protect the interests of both patients and medical professionals, while ensuring respect for human rights. Keywords: human rights; right to life; euthanasia; European human rights standards, human right to healthcare; dignity.