Brussels, 17/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 16 December, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko gave assurances in Brussels that the Russian threats will not influence the decision of his country and the EU to apply their free trade agreement (FTA) as of 1 January 2016.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Federation had announced that it was suspending Ukraine from the special trading regime between the members of the Community of Independent States (CIS) and Russia - which means that goods from Ukrainian territory will be subject to customs duties at the border, as of 1 January 2016.
Despite the “harm” that such a decision will do to the Ukrainian economy, “we are ready to pay this price for our freedom and our European choice”, Poroshenko stated at a press conference with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. “Our position is clear and firm. The free trade agreement will be operational from 1 January”, he added.
For Juncker, “any threat or measure of retaliation” would be against the mandate, and against the objective and spirit of the ongoing discussions between Ukraine and Russia (in which the EU is also participating). The next ministerial level meeting is due to take place on Monday 21 December. “This meeting is a last chance meeting”, Juncker said. Nevertheless, he believes there is little hope because while “solid progress” has been made as part of this dialogue, not all the issues have yet been settled - despite around 20 meetings being held, he regretted.
Juncker and Tusk also called on the EU to support Ukraine in its reforms. “The reforms are starting to produce results, but we expect much from the Ukrainian authorities in the coming months”, Tusk said. In Juncker's view, Kiev has made “enormous progress” on the visa liberalisation process - especially as regards the fight against corruption. Poroshenko believed his country had implemented everything that had been asked of it.
Poroshenko also called for the EU's sanctions against Russia to be extended, stating that this was “the one and only instrument for motivating Russia to implement the Minsk agreements”. “The EU will continue on the same path. Ukraine will continue on the same path [of reforms]. And Russia must change path”, Tusk concluded. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)