EU-Ukraine: practical support for urgently needed reforms

European Commission

Statement

Brussels, 26 March 2014

EU-Ukraine: practical support for urgently needed reforms

Kyiv (26 March) - Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle visited Ukraine on Tuesday and Wednesday. This is what he said to the media following the meeting with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk:

' I am very happy to be in Kyiv in the company of Commissioner Lewandowski but also a number of the high-ranking European Commission officials to set a more forward looking agenda and also to help you to create some good and positive stories. We need positive stories in our lives and I think the one we have worked on today is indeed a good story for all Ukrainians and all citizens of the European Union.

Our visit puts into practice a promise made by the President of the European Commission, President Barroso, a promise of practical support for urgently needed reforms after last week's signature of the political provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

We talked about two principles throughout the two days: inclusivity and unity. For the application of the Association Agreement the outreach to all parts of Ukraine is important, as it is the continued dialogue with the Verkhovna Rada and civil society, both of whom play a significant role in advancing reforms. And second, the European Union is united in its support to Ukraine. Ukraine needs to be united too.

In our meetings yesterday and in particular today with the government, we have discussed a number of the specific areas, six of them, very much along the lines of the priorities, which you defined last week while in Brussels on the occasion of signing the Association Agreement. We have been today focusing on the set of economic, political reform and stabilisation needed in Ukraine and how best we can support it. I will not go into the details of the political reforms, economic support, trade, energy, mobility and others but you will see, as a result of our work, and I hope rather soon, a transparent public document, available not only to the government and other important stakeholders and to the European Union, but available to all Ukrainians to make us accountable for the promises we are making.

Thank you very much.'