KYIV – The plenary session of the 22nd Ukraine-EU Summit took place in Brussels on October 6 with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell participating.
It was the first in-person summit with a European Union partner country since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The two sides focused on implementation of the Association Agreement, the continuation of reforms in Ukraine and security issues. As a result of the summit, the partnership between the EU and Ukraine will be deepened in various sectors.
“Your progress is our progress. Your security is our security,” noted Mr. Borrell. “Macro-financial assistance is part of this partnership. And mobilizing resources to fight COVID is also part of our partnership. We have common borders, history, culture and values. The Ukrainian people sacrifice a lot for their prosperity, for a better future, and this future is part of our future. You can count on us,” he said.
At a press conference following the summit, President Zelenskyy noted that many discussions had been devoted to resolving the Donbas situation and taking steps to implement the Minsk agreements. “European partners complimented our efforts on the path to peace, as well as Ukraine’s active and constructive position in the Normandy format,” he said.
The president of Ukraine also emphasized that he had received assurances that European sanctions on Russia would be in place until the full restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “The recent decision on sanctions for the construction of a railway crossing over the Kerch Bridge proves it,” Mr. Zelenskyy noted.
The annual summit’s participants discussed human rights violations in temporarily occupied Crimea and the EU’s involvement in the protection of people suffering as a result of the Russian occupation and political persecution on the peninsula.
“The European Union’s support for the Minsk agreements and non-recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol remain unwavering on our part,” said European Council President Michel. “Sanctions in support of this policy were extended on October 1. We also have specific personal sanctions against those who built the Kerch Bridge. We call on Russia to take such steps mutually to find a peaceful settlement that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We call on Russia to honor its commitments,” Mr. Michel said.
The EU High’s foreign policy chief, Mr. Borrell, assured full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. He also reaffirmed the EU’s unwavering position on the illegal annexation of Crimea and support for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. Mr. Borrell also underscored the signing of a program that should increase Ukraine’s resilience to disinformation and hybrid threats, as well as contribute to developing the county’s civil society.
“The foundation of our relations with the European Union is the common values that we share and promote: democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, gender equality. Our conversation today was thorough, friendly, warm and open. It covered almost the entire range of the Ukraine-EU agenda,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. “Further steps of Ukraine’s active cooperation with the European Union were outlined. I can assure you that our plans are ambitious and unprecedented.”
Ukraine’s president pointed out that the current situation with the spread of COVID-19 and joint efforts to overcome it were also a topic of discussion at the summit. “I am grateful to the European Union for the critical assistance provided to Ukraine. We are talking about a direct response to the pandemic and support for macroeconomic stability in our country. We agree that the coronavirus vaccine should become a common and accessible global asset for all countries. We hope for further close cooperation with the EU on this important issue,” Mr. Zelenskyy commented.
Mr. Michel stated that the EU remains a reliable partner of Ukraine and seeks to deepen cooperation as evidenced by the amount of assistance provided to the Ukrainian state. Cooperation in combating COVID-19 also is evidence of a partnership between Ukraine and the EU. He added that the Association Agreement provides a framework for collaboration, and the goal is to find conditions for the gradual integration of Ukraine into the internal European market.
Mr. Zelenskyy reported: “We have agreed to develop our trade relations further and deepen economic integration between Ukraine and the European Union. At the same time, our delegation presented its vision for the renewal of the Association Agreement in trade and sectoral cooperation. The free trade area must correspond to the realities of today – both the Ukrainian economy and the economy and the legislative field of the European Union.”
“Our discussions focused on the integration into the EU Digital Single Market, integration of energy markets of Ukraine and the European Union, cooperation in the implementation of the European green course,” Mr. Zelenskyy continued. He also announced the intention to move towards an agreement on an “industrial visa-free regime.”
The parties also discussed the Agreement on the Common Aviation Area, which has been on the agenda for many years. However, it has not yet been implemented – experts predict that talks on this topic will resume in early 2021 or after stabilization of the COVID-19 situation. Until then, “free airspace” would not benefit because of travel restrictions.
According to Mr. Michel, the Association Agreement is aimed at creating conditions for the integration of Ukraine into the European internal market. “This is the most ambitious agreement that the European Union has with any country,” he pointed out, while stressing that the EU intends to deepen cooperation with Ukraine in the field of IT and “green” energy.
The EU noted notable progress in fulfilling fundamental reforms in Ukraine over the past year. Among them are the introduction of the land market, adoption of the banking law, reform of the Electoral Code, development of decentralization and the launch of the High Anti-Corruption Court.
Answering questions from the news media, Mr. Zelenskyy said that he had always considered land reform the most difficult to implement, as it could not be implemented throughout Ukraine’s independence. However, it was anti-corruption reform that turned out to be the most difficult. At the same time, Ukraine’s president stressed that Ukrainian authorities have already taken several necessary steps to combat corruption.
According to Mr. Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s European Union partners assured him that nothing threatens the visa-free regime and that Ukraine meets all the necessary criteria. “As soon as the epidemic situation allows, Ukrainians will be able to plan trips to Europe again,” he added.