On Thursday 23 July, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, impressed on Denys Shmyhal, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, the need for the Ukrainian authorities to support efforts to reform the judicial system, the public prosecutor's office and the security sector.
While he welcomed the government's willingness to continue the intensive reform efforts in accordance with the Association Agreement, Borrell raised the potential negative impact on the sustainability of the reform agenda of the dismissal of pro-reform officials in the Ukrainian government, the dismissal of the Prosecutor General and the resignation of the Governor of the National Bank (see EUROPE 12520/34).
In a statement issued by the Ukrainian Government, the Prime Minister announced that the 22nd EU-Ukraine Summit would be held in Brussels on 1 October. He also stated that some aspects of the deep and comprehensive free trade area would need to be updated and supplemented with new sectoral cooperation features.
“Appropriate amendments to the trade component of the agreement are a key priority for the government in the short term”, he said. An Association Council meeting might also be held in December.
According to the European External Action Service, Borrell and Shmyhal also revisited implementation of the Minsk agreements. The High Representative welcomed the agreement reached by the Trilateral Contact Group regarding additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire, starting on 27 July. He stressed the need for progress on the measures agreed at the Paris Summit in December 2019 (see EUROPE 12387/22).
Borrell added that Russia needs to reciprocate Ukraine’s efforts, fully implement the Minsk agreements, and use its influence on the armed formations it backs. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)