We can encounter such challenges that Ukraine does not face
Last week, after the meeting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych with President of Russia Vladimir Putin, rumors that Ukraine can abandon signing the EU Association Agreement became intense.
On November 18, the EU will make a decision on signing the Association Agreement with Ukraine. To remind that the EU Eastern Partnership summit will be held on November 28-29, in Vilnius, where it is planned to sign an agreement between the EU and Ukraine.
However, a few days ago, the Ukrainian president’s press service published the letter of a few influential businessmen of Ukraine to Viktor Yanukovych, in which they ask to postpone signing of the EU Association Agreement for one year. The letter stated that the manufacturers would have big problems with the Russians, where they sell more than half of their products; export would face serious restrictions.
Remarkable information was disseminated that the former prime minister, imprisoned Yulia Tymoshenko’s lawyer, Sergei Vlasenko, was arrested, and now, it is not clear whether Timoshenko will be sent to Germany for medical treatment, whereas this was EU’s condition put forward before the authorities of Ukraine. Recently, Tymoshenko announced that everything should be done to sign the Association Agreement, and that it should not be allowed for personal phobias of Yanukovych to hamper the process. Experts believe that Yanukovych steps back just to save his reputation, and this retreat is served on the request of the business community. As conveyed by ZN.UA, the issue of releasing Timoshenko remains unresolved connected with signing the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. This was stated by the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland at the U.S. Senate hearing speaking about the “Eastern Partnership”. According to her, Ukraine has passed over eighteen bills in the preparatory process of signing the Association Agreement, which bring the country closer to Europe, however, “Ukraine still needs to take three important reform steps: passage of legislation reforming its Prosecutor General’s Office; passage of legislation reforming its parliamentary election code; and the release of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for medical treatment”.
Meanwhile, statements in desperate tonnage began to sound from Ukraine. As reported by REGNUM, on November 13, Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said that Ukraine can not give up with cooperation with Russians, “I wish everyone in Ukraine realize that no one has offered and will offer us any compensation for the loss of this market. And, we do not have the right to allow the factories get closed, that our people remain without salaries and pensions.” Azarov noted that the settlement of relations with Russia remains the number one priority for Kiev. “The authorities share the deep concern of the trade unions and entrepreneurs about the possible loss of jobs. This is the direct responsibility of our authorities, and a strong blow to the Ukrainian economy… Also add high prices for gas and oil,” he added. According to the prime minister, Yanukovych has ordered the government to speed up the customs and technical problems with the CU, and that the Ukrainian presidential administration and European officials are already considering postponing the signing of the Association Agreement for 2014, or even later. “Recently, demand for Ukrainian goods has significantly reduced, which, first, refers to Russian market. The decrease is significant, in one forth. No one will compensate us for the losses incurred in the Russian market. RF refuses from Ukrainian goods,” said Azarov.
Two days ago, Aleksander Kwasniewski, European mission representative, predicted that if the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is not signed in Vilnius, the issue may be delayed for an indefinite period. He has stressed that in case of delay, in the next 2 years, no one definitely will deal with the issue, adding that the European Parliament elections will be held in 2014, which will be followed by elections of new European Commission, and Ukraine presidential elections will be held in 2015. Kwasniewski believes that RF makes a big mistake by exerting economic pressure on Ukraine on the eve of the Vilnius summit, “The blockade, which it carries out against Ukrainian export, leaves its negative impact on the opinion of Ukrainian people, even with those who are well disposed to RF.” While some European observers still hope that Ukraine, nevertheless, can sign the EU Association Agreement, European banks are abandoning the Ukrainian market. As informed by MIGnews, this was stated by Valeria Gontareva, Chairman of Board of Directors of “Investment Capital Ukraine” LLC Company, at the annual conference of Adam Smith Institute. Abandoning of European banks, perhaps, means that the hopes of this country with Euro integration are not justified. Polish President Bronisław Komorowski, referring to the issue of signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement to be held in Vilnius summit, noticed that currently very few have an optimistic attitude towards this issue, than it was weeks ago. Simultaneously, he has said that he does not lose hope, finding that the EU should motivate Ukraine to implement all terms of the Association Agreement.
After September 3, when it became clear that Armenia is headed to the Eurasian integration, and initialing of the EU Association Agreement vanishes, presently, Armenia closely watches the processes going on around Ukraine. A group of people, seems, to get comfort seeing that if Russia treats Ukraine-scale state like that, could small Armenia oppose or resist Russian pressures… The other part is convinced that Russian tough policy, economic terror can not last long in the 21st century, because just RF is facing serious challenges, and that the former Soviet republics are not the same, each of them will pass its own way. One should not be comforted with Ukraine’s example, because being a small country, and having a vast migration, we might encounter such challenges, which Ukraine does not face. Making the country only an area of Russian interests, what is the difference what language Russia speaks with other countries…
Emma GABRIELYAN
