Ukraine grateful for European aid, but wants more: full EU membership, emphasises Ukrainian ambassador

Kostiantyn Yelisieiev – Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU – met with Lénaïc Vaudin d’Imécourt, editor of EU Trade Insights, to discuss the future of Ukraine-European Union relations ahead of the EU-Ukraine summit on 27 April in Kiev.

On February 12th, the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany agreed to a package of measures, the so-called Minsk II agreement, to alleviate the ongoing war in the Donbass region of Ukraine. Purpose of this agreement – both for Ukraine and the international community – was to reach a “stable ceasefire”. It is in Ukraine’s interest to forge closer ties with the European Union, says Yelisieiev, acknowledging the political, humanitarian and financial support that EU already granted to his country. That’s why he believes that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), that originally triggered the tensions between Russia and Ukraine and was postponed until January 2016 to avoid further destabilisation, should be implemented without any modifications. For the Ukrainian ambassador, the next step would be full membership of the European Union.

Ukraine grateful for European aid, but wants more: full EU membership, emphasises Ukrainian ambassador