Brussels, 02/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 March, both High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and the deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Helga Schmid, called for the political crisis in Ukraine to be settled as quickly as possible. Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk escaped a vote of no-confidence but rumours persist that he will soon resign.
“The political crisis must be overcome as quickly as possible so that Ukraine can continue the progress it has already made over the last 14 months. This is vital (…) The hidden interests and political games must not be allowed to take precedence over progress”, Schmid stated at the end of Ukraine Week at the European Parliament. At the same time, Mogherini said in a press release that she had agreed with the leader of the Ukrainian Parliament, Volodymyr Groysman, that it was necessary “to get out of the political crisis urgently” and maintain a “strong and clear direction” towards the process of economic and political reform. “The broader reform efforts - including on the constitutional amendments, on the judiciary and on decentralisation - need to continue to deliver results for the benefit of the Ukrainian people”, Mogherini added.
At the European Parliament, Schmid told the Ukrainian parliamentarians that it was their duty to hold the government responsible, and also to adopt the necessary legislation and reforms. She said that in order to benefit from all the opportunities that the association agreement can bring, Ukraine must continue its reforms. “The association agreement, including the free trade area, will enable Ukraine to become a truly European country with a public administration that works, a market economy and democratic institutions”, she added.
Like Mogherini and Groysman, Schmid underlined the need to implement the Minsk agreements fully. “It is difficult to move forwards and make compromises when the ceasefire is violated on a daily basis, but it is the best means of regaining territorial integrity and sovereignty. Ukraine must do its utmost. No one should be able to say that Ukraine has not done its utmost to find a solution to this conflict”, Schmid concluded. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)