WARSAW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine's smooth conduct of its presidential election shows it is on the path to eventual European Union membership regardless of who wins the poll, an aide to Polish President Lech Kaczynski said on Jan. 19.
Poland strongly supports both EU and NATO membership for its large eastern neighbour. Russia sees Ukraine as part of its sphere of influence and is especially opposed to former Soviet republics joining NATO, its Cold War foe.
Presidential frontrunner Viktor Yanukovich has close ties to Russia and is opposed to NATO membership. His rival in the Feb. 7 run-off vote, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, is most popular in the European-leaning west of Ukraine neighbouring Poland.
"We’ll see whom the Ukrainians choose in the second round, but I think the direction of Ukraine is already set. I do not see how it could be reversed. Ukraine is part of Europe," Polish presidential aide Mariusz Handzlik told Reuters. "There have been big changes in Ukraine since 2004. Today it is more open and democratic because of the Orange Revolution. The first round of the presidential election was honest and transparent… I think Ukraine’s direction is clear."
Tymoshenko and outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko led the 2004 Orange Revolution against Yanukovich’s rigged presidential election victory, forcing him to stand down. International election monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the first round of the 2010 presidential poll on Sunday had been "of high quality" and showed significant progress from previous polls.
Handzlik reiterated Poland’s continued support for both Ukraine and Turkey to join the European Union. Unlike Ukraine, Turkey is already an official candidate negotiating entry.
"It would be difficult for the EU to play the global role it wants to play without Turkey and Ukraine. It may take time, of course, but there is definitely a place for these two countries in the bloc," he said.
Asked about declining support for enlargement in some EU member states, notably Germany and France, Handzlik noted the economic potential of Ukraine, a country of 46 million people.
"This is about Europe’s richness. New countries bring new blood," he added.
Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. It is the largest of the EU’s 10 ex-communist member states.
