EU-UKRAINE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT FOR KYIV, LITHUANIAN FOREIGN VICE-MINISTER SAYS
The signing and implementation of a free trade agreement between the European Union and Ukraine would be an important achievement for Ukrainians, because it would open up a broad EU market for Ukrainian goods and would standardize trade and investments, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius said at the annual international Europe-Ukraine Forum on 24 February in Kyiv.
During the session “European Union - Russia – Ukraine”, the Vice-Minister noted that Ukraine needed strong economic and political ties with Russia, the EU and other neighbours. The Ukrainians should also confirm their serious intentions to develop partnership and to comply with European values.“In today’s globalized world, the economic cooperation in all directions is especially important. Therefore, Ukraine needs to develop trade with Russia and the EU, and to ensure its energy security,” the Vice-Minister said.
According to him, when aiming to achieve the latter objective, the EU could and should help Ukraine to modernize its gas transit system.
Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius also touched upon regional cooperation in transport and other areas, Ukraine’s participation in the EU’s Eastern Partnership programme and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
The two-day event is attended by former President of Croatia Stjepan Mesić and former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, former European Commissioner Günter Verheugen, and other Ukrainian and foreign politicians, representatives from international organizations, economists, experts and entrepreneurs.
On ? the same day in Kyiv, Vice-Minister E.Ignatavičius met with Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin, Chairman of the Europe-Ukraine Forum Zygmunt Berdychowski, the first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk and Head of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine José Manuel Teixeira.
The Lithuanian Vice-Minister and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine discussed bilateral relations, preparations for the visit of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov to Lithuania and issues of Ukraine’s European integration.
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