EU Door Closed to Kiev
February 28, 2007
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych underlined his country's desire to join the European Union, at a meeting Wednesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, was friendly but noncommittal and focused instead on the need to deepen ties first through a new cooperation agreement and a
possible free-trade zone.
The EU has made clear to Ukraine that membership is not on the agenda for the moment, even though Ukrainian officials have stated it as a chief strategic goal.
EU is big enough
At the Berlin meeting, Merkel said Europe was not ready for further expansion in the near future. It recently took on board the countries of central and eastern Europe, which increased the number of members to 27.
"The European Union is at a stage in which it needs to establish the effectiveness of an enlarged Union," Merkel told reporters.
She said talks due to begin March 5 on an expanded cooperation agreement with Ukraine showed that the former Soviet republic "enjoys a special relationship with the EU."
Ukraine's reform process
Yanukovych said Ukraine was undergoing a reform process that was irreversible, adding that the country was now stable after a period of uncertainty.
But he made no mention of the constitutional wrangles between the parliament, President Viktor Yushchenko and himself over who has the authority to make key cabinet appointments.
The pro-Western president favors Ukraine applying for membership of NATO, but Yanukovych, generally seen to support a pro-Russian Ukrainian policy, said this was a matter for the country's parliament to decide.
Merkel welcomed Ukraine's plans to join the World Trade Organization, and both leaders stressed the role of Ukraine as an important partner for German investors.
Business ties
"We will expand our economic relations," the chancellor said, adding that Economics Minister Michael Glos will travel to Ukraine at the end of May to discuss closer cooperation in the energy sector.
Before the talks, Yanukovych met German business leaders about the possibility of increased investments.
"Ukraine is already an important economic partner for Germany and is set to grow in this role," said Klaus Mangold, head of the East Committee of the German Federation of Industry.
Mangold said it was important for Ukraine to maintain political stability and to remain on course with its program of economic reforms.
Bridge to Russia?
Yanukovych, whose visit comes less than three weeks after his rival Yushchenko paid a call on Merkel, has been in power since last year.
In an interview with the German business daily Handelsblatt on Tuesday, Yanukovych said although his country was keen on EU membership, it still needed a strategic partnership with Russia.
Yanukovych said Europe should be interested in good, stable relations with Russia, adding that "Ukraine wants to act as a bridge" between the two.