Summit Ukraine-EU: Ukrainian President and EU leaders signed a joint statement

Summit Ukraine-EU has been held on 25 February 2013 in Brussels and the sides signed the joint statement based on the results of the negotiations. EU leaders express in this statement the hope that official Kiev will fulfill all the conditions of EU which are necessary for the signing of the Association Agreement until May 2013.

The joint statement signed by Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich, President of Council of EU Herman Van Rompuy and President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, declares that the leaders approve their readiness to sign the Association Agreement which includes wide cooperation and also the free trade zone between Ukraine and the countries of EU. EU leaders in their turn stressed that more decisive steps are needed from Ukrainian side and that EU is expecting more progress in Ukraine till the beginning of May 2013.

In addition to that the statement also highlights the question of the liberalization of the visa issue for Ukrainian citizens. EU’s representatives added that the visa regime will be simplified when Ukraine will also grant the conditions of the safe movement of the citizens. The negotiations over the free-visa regime between Ukraine and EU have been held during several years, and the statement about the simplification of the issuing of the visas for Ukrainian citizens has been signed in June 2012.

Victor Yanukovich, Herman Van Rompuy, Jose Manuel Barroso

Among the key issues of the Summit was also the situation with the political prisoners in Ukraine, like ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko or Ex-Minister of Interior Yury Lutsenko. EU is deeply concerned with the situation regarding the human rights violations and the selective justice in Ukraine and political repressions as well. Ukraine in its turn stressed that the measures needed for the improvement of the situation with the human rights and justice in the country will be conducted and the work is ongoing.

It’s worth mentioning that Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich stated after the Summit that he is satisfied with its results, and the first stage on the way to signing the Association Agreement with EU is made.