BRUSSELS – On July 9, the European Union and Ukraine will hold their 20th Summit in Brussels. The meeting carries with it important steps towards implementing agreements that are already in place, including a new loan of 75 million euro from the European Investment Bank for road safety improvement in Ukrainian cities.
“It is important to have events like this summit where we focus on a number of areas where we can move forward,” said one EU diplomat on the eve of the summit. “For us, it is important that Ukraine maintains the path of reforms also during the pre-election period. And EU also will continue to support.”
It will be the first summit since the Association Agreement came into force, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and follows one year of visa-free travel for Ukrainian citizens to the EU. The agenda will call for the assembled diplomats and leaders to discuss the next steps in implementing the association agreement and progress on, and the EU’s support for, Ukraine’s reform agenda.
The diplomat, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, underlined that “many good and concrete things happened since 2014, more than in the previous 20 years, but there is a lot to do, a lot still on the plate, notably business-related reforms to stimulate the economy, to get a higher growth rate, and all of these have to do with the implementation of other reforms which have been launched.”
“When we are talking about reforms, none of these so far are irreversible. Many of the things are on track but can be, if it is necessary, turned around. All of this will be discussed including the issue of the anti-corruption court where concrete steps are expected now,” the EU diplomat stressed.
As President Petro Poroshenko declared during the Eastern Partnership summit on Nov. 24 last year, the next targets for Ukraine are the four unions with the EU: Energy Union, Custom Union, digital market and Schengen zone. According to the EU diplomat, “work on this is going on in the commission.”
During the summit, national representatives will also address issues of the implementation of the association agreement and free trade deal; here the focus will likely be on the situation in Ukraine’s east and implementation of the Minsk agreements, the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, relations with Russia and other regional and foreign policy issues, energy security, and the follow-up to the 2017 Eastern Partnership summit.
“The EU will reconfirm its strong support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence as well as a peaceful settlement of the conflict and the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The EU also will reconfirm its firm commitment to the nonrecognition policy and the situation in the Black and Azov seas will be discussed. The atmosphere in which this summit will take place is positive,” he added.
Representative of Ukraine to the European Union, Ambassador Mykola Tochytskyi (Somer)
Representative of Ukraine to the EU Mykola Tochytskyi expects that the EU will reaffirm once again its recognition of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within the internationally recognized borders, the continuation of the non-recognition policy of the illegal annexation of Crimea, the continuation of sanctions and repeat its call to release all political hostages.
“Our European aspirations are enshrined in the Association Agreement. We expect that difficult reforms in Ukraine will be recognized, in particular, decentralization, judicial reform, medical reform, reform in privatization, and public administration. This will be an important signal for the EU to continue its support, including in the financial realm,” he said.
As expected, a joint declaration will be adopted during the meeting.
The EU will be represented by Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, and by Jean Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission. Ukraine will be represented by President Petro Poroshenko.
The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission Federica Mogherini, Vice Presidents Maroš Šefčovič and Valdis Dombrovskis, and Commissioner Cecilia Malmström will also participate in the summit.
