Ukraine to apply for EU membership in 2020

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Series Details 25.09.14
Publication Date 25/09/2014
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Signaling his intent to move Ukraine even further away from Russian influence, President Petro Poroshenko announced plans on the 25 September 2014 to apply for EU membership in 2020.

Mr Poroshenko said his country would apply for EU membership after implementing until then a series of economic and political reforms that are part of his 'Strategy 2020' plan.

In the meantime, Russia stated once more it would curtail Ukraine's access to vital Russian markets if Kyiv implemented any part of the Association Agreement the country signed with the European Union.

In a Commentary feature in The Conversation on the 25 September 2014 called 'EU pragmatism has rewarded Russia’s brazen trade bullying', Kataryna Wolczuk and Rilka Dragneva-Lewers write that Ukraine may have ratified the EU Association Agreement, but by crashing the negotiations, Russia has put a crucial part of it on ice – possibly permanently.

EUObserver reported on the 26 September 2014 that the General Affairs Council of the 29 September 2014 was expected to adopt a declaration that would tell Russia it had no say on changing the Ukraine trade treaty despite its demands to rewrite the text.

The Council of the European Union amended on the 29 September 2014 the timetable for provisional application of parts of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The decision of 29 September 2014 delayed until 1 January 2016 the provisional application of the Agreement's title on trade and related matters, including the establishment of a free trade area.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://dw.de/p/1DKol
Related Links
ESO: Background information: EU and Ukraine suspend historic trade pact http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-and-ukraine-suspend-historic-trade-pact/
EurActiv, 24.09.14: Putin warns Ukraine against implementing EU pact http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/putin-warns-ukraine-against-implementing-eu-pact-308671
The Conversation, 25.09.14: EU pragmatism has rewarded Russia’s brazen trade bullying https://theconversation.com/eu-pragmatism-has-rewarded-russias-brazen-trade-bullying-32050
Ukraine: President: News: Current Events, 25.09.14: Petro Poroshenko presented 'Strategy of reforms 2020': The purpose of reforms is membership in the EU http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/31289.html
EUObserver, 26.09.14: EU says No to Russia on rewriting Ukraine pact http://euobserver.com/foreign/125780
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 29.09.14: Joint statement of the Council and the Commission on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/144955.pdf
Council of the European Union: Press Release, PRES/14/485: EU-Ukraine Association Agreement to start applying in two stages http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/144957.pdf
European Commission: RAPID: Statement, STATEMENT/14/294: Letter from President Barroso to President Putin http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-294_en.htm
European Commission: RAPID: STATEMENT/14/ 305: Statement by EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht after his meeting with Ukraine minister Klimkin http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-305_en.htm

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