News

The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Rolandas Kriščiūnas is attending World Economic Forum Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Ukraine in Kyiv on 6 November. The event focuses on scenarios of Ukraine’s economic development, especially after the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. Ukraine is expected to sign the Association Agreement with the EU during the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in November in Vilnius, if Ukraine meets the requirements set by the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

The President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, the Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, and members of the Government welcomed participants of the Forum.

During the discussion with the participants of the Forum, the Lithuanian Foreign Vice-Minister R.Kriščiūnas stressed the significance that the Association Agreement would have for the modernization of Ukraine’s economy, attraction of foreign investment, and increasing of the country’s competitiveness. R.Kriščiūnas also underlined that the success of this scenario depended on Ukraine’s determination to carry out reforms and do its other ‘homework’, because only then the Association Agreement would have a real impact on Ukraine’s future in Europe.

The EU member states have agreed on the scope of the provisional application of the Association Agreement. Practically all the free trade provisions of the Agreement will be implemented without waiting for its ratification, immediately after the completion of the necessary procedures by the European Parliament and Ukraine.

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organisation, which draws famous businessmen, representatives of the academic community and civil society, along with world leaders to Davos for their annual meeting each year to consider the major global and regional economic issues of the day and to brainstorm on solutions to address these challenges.