Ukraine Marks Progress in Association Talks With the European Union

KYIV, Ukraine, April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso started his official visit to Ukraine. In the meeting between the EC President Jose Manuel Barroso with the Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych both parties have noted a significant progress in the ongoing Ukraine-EU negotiations. Both leaders consider the year 2011 to be a decisive year set to define a strategic vision for Ukraine-EU relationships for years to come.

"I want to reconfirm our political will to complete the negotiations on Association Agreement with the EU. We have had very productive talks with Mr. Barroso on this matter today," said Viktor Yanukovych at today's press conference. "If we maintain the current dynamics of the negotiations, we will be able to approve a joint version of the document until the next EU-Ukraine summit in December."

In his turn, the President of the European Commission said: "The year of 2001 will be a decisive year between Ukraine and the EU. We have a lot to do." The President of the European Commission has also expressed his hope for the talks on Association Agreement to be completed by the end of 2011.

The meeting with the higher EU official has also reconfirmed that the European integration is the key priority for Ukraine's foreign policy. Being asked about Ukraine's relationship with the Customs Union Of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, both leaders demonstrated their common position: Ukraine will not become a member of the Customs Union, but will deepen it relationships with its Eastern neighbours not affecting the EU integration plans.

The latest round of the Ukraine-EU talks on the Association Agreement took place on April 4-8, 2011. Overall, Ukraine and the EU have held 18 rounds of talks starting March 5, 2007. The core of the Agreement is an introduction of a free-trade zone between Ukraine and the EU. The Agreement will stipulate different aspects of economic and scientific cooperation between the EU and Ukraine as well as promote and enhance their political collaboration in the future.