Kaminski: The EU must keep Ukraine as a top priority

4th December 2009

Ukraine must remain a top priority to Brussels, Michal Kaminski MEP, chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament said today as the EU and Ukraine hold a summit.
 
Mr Kaminski, who wrote a report in the European Parliament on possible Ukrainian membership of the EU, was in Kyiv this week where he met with Hryhoriy Nemyria, Vice Prime Minister for European and International Integration, Kostyantyn Yeliseyev, the Deputy Foreign Minister and Borys Tarasyuk, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for European Integration.
 
Mr Kaminski heard of Kyiv's concern that High Representative Ashton will remain in Brussels on Friday, rather than attend the summit. He was also told that a European Commission delegation to Ukraine refused to attend a Holodomor famine memorial ceremony. Feeling in Kyiv was that Brussels was turning its back on one of its most crucial neighbours - something that will be to the detriment of the EU and Ukraine, and to the advantage of Russia.
 
Mr Kaminski said:
 
"High Representative Ashton has important meetings in Brussels today and it is understandable that she cannot be in Ukraine too. However, I do hope that she will visit Kyiv very soon. One of her first key crises in the new year could be another gas war and she will need to be able to pick up the phone and speak to Kyiv as a friend.
 
"Concern was also raised that a European Commission delegation refused to attend a ceremony to mark the Holodomor. If this is the case, it is extremely ill-judged and I will be asking the commission for clarification. The European Parliament rightly recognised the famine as a crime against humanity a year ago and any EU delegation should commemorate those killed at one of the many monuments across Ukraine.
 
"The EU does have concerns about the political situation in Ukraine but its response must not be disengagement. The summit looks set to be a missed opportunity but the EU should hold meetings with the new government at the earliest opportunity with a view to rapidly finalising an Association Agreement.
 
"The EU must not turn its back on Ukraine now."
 

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