You're reading: Tihipko: Ukraine should stive for EU and cooperate with Customs Union

Ukraine's cooperation with the Customs Union does not mean that the country is not eager to join the European Union anymore, former Vice Premier and Social Policy Minister and the sitting deputy head of the Party of Regions faction, Sergey Tihipko, has said.

“First we’ll be geared to the European Union, as their market is larger [than the market of the Customs Union]. The market is around seven times larger and it is more interesting for our economy,” he said on the Shuster Live program late on Friday.

Tigipko said that the interests of Ukrainian manufacturers are in the zone of the Customs Union.

“I would not have put any barriers. I say that this should be not joining the Customs Union, but the establishment of a 3+1 formula, the possible largest integration, which does not stop integration into the EU,” he said.

Tigipko said that Ukraine should pass another seven laws to adapt Ukrainian laws to European as much as possible. The draft laws were drawn up when Tihipko worked in the government.