Brussels, 03/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 3 June, the presidents of the European Council and European Commission, Herman Van Rompuy and José Manuel Barroso respectively, congratulated Petro Poroshenko on his election as Ukrainian president on 25 May.
“On behalf of the European Union, we would like to congratulate you on your election as President of Ukraine. The conduct and the outcome of the elections underlined the aspirations of the Ukrainian people to democracy and prosperity, unity and stability”, Van Rompuy and Barroso stated in a letter to Poroshenko.
On 2 June, the Ukrainian electoral commission announced Poroshenko's victory with 54.7% of the votes. He is expected to be sworn in on 7 June.
While recalling that Ukraine is confronted with considerable challenges in the pursuit of democracy, prosperity, unity and stability, especially in the field of security, Van Rompuy and Barroso expressed their confidence that, “working together with the Ukrainian government, and on the basis of an inclusive national dialogue”, Poroshenko will be able to carry forward the political reforms, including at constitutional level, and economic modernisation that his country is calling for.
Van Rompuy and Barroso underlined that the EU will remain at Ukraine's side, “notably by offering its support and assistance as jointly identified by the EU and Ukraine in the European agenda for reform”. They also reiterated their commitment to work towards Ukraine's political association and closer economic integration with the EU, being delighted in this regard about the swift signature of the arrangements for the association agreement, including a deep and comprehensive free trade area. The trade section of this agreement is due to be signed on the sidelines of the European Council on 26-27 June. (CG)