Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Chmyhal expressed his hopes, on Monday 31 January, for his country’s possible accession to the EU.
Despite the situation with Russia, Ukraine “is continuing its reforms and trying to build a strong and stable European country which, I am sure, will join the EU in a short time”, the Prime Minister said at a press conference in Kiev with Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis.
Stressing his country’s readiness to make further efforts to use the full potential of the Association Agreement, he asked when Ukraine could join the EU. Mr Dombrovskis did not comment on this.
The Prime Minister also gave himself 2 years to implement his country’s ‘visa-free regime’ in five areas: airspace; industry, with the agreement on the conformity and acceptance of industrial products; energy, with the integration of Ukraine’s energy system with that of the EU; customs; and finally, digital, with the integration into the European digital market.
Mr Chmyhal reiterated the Ukrainian wish to strengthen economic and trade ties and to continue the work started within the framework of the Association Agreement and the enhanced free trade area between the two parties. He said that further details on the way forward could be provided at the meeting of the Committee within the Association Agreement in April. Since 2016, the EU and Ukraine have been phasing out almost all tariffs on their trade.
These issues might be discussed at the Association Council scheduled for 7 April.
For his part, the Vice-President focused on the security situation in Ukraine, recalling the EU’s support for Ukraine, particularly financial. He announced that the Commission will adopt a new €1.2 billion emergency macro-financial assistance programme on 1 February, following the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 24 January (see EUROPE 12875/1).
“We hope to disburse the first tranche of €600 million as soon as possible”, he explained, recalling that for this disbursement to take place, it was necessary for the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to adopt the agreement quickly, for the Ukrainian authorities to agree on the areas of reform to be carried out, and for the Verkhovna Rada to ratify the Memorandum of Understanding.
The Executive Vice-President added that the Commission was also working on another longer-term macro-financial assistance programme for Ukraine.
Solidarity with the Ukrainians
For its part, a European Parliament delegation was in Mariupol on Monday to reaffirm its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainians and to show the unity of Europeans. “Ukraine must be free to choose its future and its allies”, stressed the Security and Defence Subcommittee Chair, Nathalie Loiseau, adding that nothing concerning Ukraine’s future can be decided without it.
“The military build-up on the Ukrainian border is of great concern to everyone in Europe, as Ukraine’s security is closely linked to that of the whole European continent”, added the Parliament’s Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister. The MEP thus reiterated the European Parliament’s call to Russia for de-escalation. “This crisis can only be resolved through diplomatic means”, he added, calling for continued efforts to ease tensions and warning that “the ball is in Russia’s court”.
“The situation is serious and we take it seriously”, Ms Loiseau warned. She added that the EU was serious about helping Ukraine, in diplomatic efforts to appease it and in standing firm in case of Russian aggression. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Léa Marchal)