EU – Ukraine summit, Kyiv, 27 April 2015

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Series Details 27.04.15
Publication Date 27/04/2015
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The 17th EU-Ukraine summit took place in Kyiv (Kiev) on 27 April 2015. This was the first summit taking place under the framework of the Association Agreement.

The European Union was represented by Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, and Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission. Johannes Hahn, the Commissioner for the European Neighbourhood Policy and the enlargement negotiations also joined the summit. President Petro Poroshenko headed the Ukrainian delegation.

The summit was the opportunity to discuss:

+ the implementation of the Association Agreement and the political and economic reforms in Ukraine including EU financial and other assistance
+ the crisis in Eastern Ukraine and the application of the Minsk agreements, including the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), EU and Ukrainian leaders agreed that their full implementation remained the best chance to move towards a political solution
+ regional issues and the preparations for the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Riga, 21-22 May 2015

The summit was followed by an international reform conference for Ukraine on the 28 April 2015 to communicate to the wider world and reflect with the international community on the next steps in the reform process and the necessary support measures.

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News sources reported that Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko had said the EU or the UN should deploy peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine. However, European Council President Donald Tusk said that only a civilian, not a military, mission was possible. The EU pressed Ukraine to pursue an economic reform programme. Despite a call by Russia for a further delay, it was suggested that the free trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine would be implemented from 1 January 2016.

The summit meeting took place amidst further violence in the east of Ukraine where government forces were in dispute with pro-Russian separatists, despite a ceasefire agreement.

Politico (see related url) summarised the outcoe of the meeting as 'Ukraine is at war and facing an economic catastrophe, but this week’s summit with the European Union will leave the country virtually empty handed'.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/04/27/
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Joint press release following the endorsement of the updated Association Agenda by the EU-Ukraine Association Council http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-joint-press-release-following-the-endorsement-of-the-updated-association-agenda-by-the-eu-ukraine-association-council/
ESO: Background information: Agreed Statement of the Chair, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on the Foreign Ministers Normandy Meeting in Berlin, 13 April 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/agreed-statement-of-the-chair-foreign-minister-frank-walter-steinmeier-on-the-foreign-ministers-normandy-meeting-in-berlin-13-april-2015/
EurActiv, 27.04.15: At summit, Ukraine to press EU for peacekeepers http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/summit-ukraine-press-eu-peacekeepers-314096
Council of the European Union: Statement 15/232, 27.04.15: Remarks by President Tusk following the EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/04/27-press-remarks-tusk-summit-ukraine/
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: Memo 15/4863, 27.04.15: European Commission support for Ukraine http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-4863_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: IP/15/4862, 27.04.15: EU-Ukraine Summit: EU steps up its contribution to nuclear safety in Chernobyl with €70 million http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4862_en.htm
BBC News, 27.04.15: EU won't send armed force to Ukraine despite clashes http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32478933
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 27.04.15: 17th EU-Ukraine Summit: Joint Statement http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/04/17th-EU-Ukraine-Summit---Joint-Statement_pdf/
Deutsche Welle, 27.04.15: EU-Ukraine leaders to discuss reforms, pro-Russian uprising http://dw.de/p/1FFbo
EurActiv, 28.04.15: EU-Ukraine summit clouded by worsening violence http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/eu-ukraine-summit-clouded-worsening-violence-314139
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: IP/15/4868, 28.04.15: International Conference on Support for Ukraine: EU announces €110 million benefitting SMEs and entrepreneurship in Ukraine http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4868_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/4880, 28.04.15: Speech by President Juncker on "Reforming for Ukraine's future", Reform Conference, Kyiv http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-4880_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/4881, 28.04.15: Speech by Valdis Dombrovskis at the International Support for Ukraine Conference in Kyiv http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-4881_en.htm
OSCE: Press Release, 27.04.15: Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 26 April 2015 http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/153916
Politico, 28.04.15: EU to give Ukraine words, not guns or butter http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-to-give-ukraine-words-not-guns-or-butter/
Sputnik International, 27.04.15: European Council President Tusk Rules Out EU Military Mission in Ukraine http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150427/1021443238.html
EUObserver, 28.04.15: Juncker: No more delay on Ukraine free trade https://euobserver.com/foreign/128484
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/4884, 28.04.15: International Conference on Support for Ukraine http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-4884_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/4888, 28.04.15: Ukraine as part of the European energy market - speech by Vice-President Šefčovič at the Energy panel at International Conference for Reform in Ukraine http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-4888_en.htm
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: IP/15/4890, 28.04.15: EU reaffirms support for reforms in Ukraine at Kyiv conference http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4890_en.htm
EurActiv, 05.05.15: EU to postpone Ukraine free trade pact to 2016 http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/eu-postpone-ukraine-free-trade-pact-2016-314326
EurActiv, 07.05.15: EBS: Ukrainian ex-premier, EU say no more trade delays http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/ebs-ukrainian-ex-premier-eu-say-no-more-trade-delays-314414

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