You're reading: US expert: Customs Union better than EU deal for Ukraine

Joining the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would give obvious advantages to Ukraine over creating a free trade area with the European Union, according to Anthony T. Salvia, the executive director of the American Institute in Ukraine.

"The advantage from the creation of a free trade area with the European Union, unlike membership of the Customs Union, is not so noticeable and obvious for Ukraine," he said during a round table meeting at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

He said he was sure that Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union would give Ukrainian industry free access to the markets of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, and would be conducive to an increase in foreign direct investment in the Ukrainian economy.

Economic expert Viktor Suslov, who was also present at the roundtable, backed Salvia’s opinion that from the economic point of view, Ukraine would benefit from the Customs Union more than from a free trade area with the EU.

"A free trade area with the European Union would be a more political than economic choice. Ukraine should decide in favor of the Customs Union, and in future, the more Ukraine made progress, leaving the crisis behind, the more interesting it would look to Western investors," he said.