EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has reiterated the EU's commitment to sign the remaining chapters of the Association Agreement with Ukraine and confirmed that the implementation of the agreement is not a final goal in bilateral relations between Kyiv and Brussels.
“We remain committed to conclude the signature procedure of the
remaining chapters of the Association Agreement as soon as possible
after the May 25 presidential elections,” he said at an Eastern
Partnership conference in Prague on Friday.
Fule also confirmed the European Council’s decision that the
Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
does not constitute the final goal in EU-Ukraine cooperation.
“This is by no means the end of the road… The greater the
commitment and implementation of the joint agreements, the more
ambitious the destination. Our partners, especially those with European
ambitions, need to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I hope the
EU and its Member States will rise to that challenge,” he said.
Speaking about the events in Ukraine, Fule called them “the most serious crisis since 1945.”
“The people of Ukraine, its independence and sovereignty should not
become victims of geopolitical zero-sum games. This is not how politics
is conducted in the 21st century. This is not why the Eastern
Partnership was established. We will always support and stand by those
who are subject to undue pressures,” he said.
In this regard, Fule noted the rapid reaction from the EU.
“From the start we have insisted that any solution on Ukraine must be
peaceful, must involve Ukraine, must be based on full respect for
Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the right of
Ukraine to decide on its own constitution and political future. We
therefore, together with Ukraine, Russia and the United States, took
part in quadrilateral talks on April 17 in Geneva,” Fule said.
In addition, he spoke about issues of financial assistance and energy security.
“Now is the time to show an even stronger, more determined, and resolute commitment to the Eastern Partnership,” he said.
