By Vestnik Kavkaza
Herman Van Rompuy, Chairman of the EU Council, decided to hold an urgent summit of heads of the states and governments of the EU devoted to the Ukrainian crisis on March 6th.
A question of Ukraine’s accession to the EU is not acute, the UK Foreign Minister Willian Hague said yesterday. He recalled that Brussels offer Ukraine the association agreement which doesn’t require further joining the European Union. However, the EU is ready to help Ukraine to pay for Russian gas.
Vygaudas Ušackas, head of European Union Office in the Russian Federation, told Vestnik Kavkaza that “the European Union followed the political crisis in Ukraine. We always stand for the fact that a solution to the political crisis should be found in Ukraine through talks between the government, the oppositions, and the civil society. Our representatives, three ministers of Germany, Poland and France, took part in developing the agreement of February 21st.”
Ušackas thinks it is important that a new government has been composed and now the EU expects very important economic and financial decisions from it for more independent economic development of Ukraine. “The European Union is ready to help in the implementation of economic and political reforms in Ukraine. We will do it together with other countries of the international community, including Russia, which is not only a member of the World Financial Fund, but also an important neighbor and partner of Ukraine and the EU.”
Ušackas didn’t comment on the possible sums which could be allocated, saying: “We provide various aids. For example, we give grants for developing countries, but also we make significant economic injections which Ukraine needs so much. Obviously, we will work through our common financial international instrument – the International Monetary Fund, which has worked with Ukraine earlier.”
He emphasized that Brussels would demand the money be used for implementation of the economic and financial reforms which Ukraine needs for the prosperity of Ukrainian citizens. First of all, Ušackas believes, the Ukrainians look forward to normalization of the political and economic situation in the country, preparation for democratic presidential elections, and fulfillment of the economic reforms which I have mentioned in favor of the Ukrainian economy and Ukrainian citizens.
“At the moment it is clear that the most important issues are stabilization of the political and economic situation in Ukraine to preserve Ukraine united and independent, a Ukraine which could answer the important economic and political questions which it is facing today. The answer is in Ukraine itself. We, neighbors, both the EU and Russia, could contribute to the internal consent, which is one of the most important priorities today. It is important for the authorities of Kiev to act according to the law and the Constitution.”
