Ukraine push for closer Russia ties under fire

Date: 11/09/03

By David Cronin in Krynica, Poland

UKRAINE'S move to forge closer ties with Russia has been denounced as a setback for political forces in the country who wish to see it integrating with the EU.

This month Ukraine is due to enter a single economic area with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan - but the step is being resisted by a significant number in the national parliament.

James Sherr, a fellow with the UK's Defence Academy, attacked the accord. "There is no justification for it," he said. "Ukraine cannot possibly accelerate its own efforts to join the European Union by forming an agreement with states that have no intention of joining the European Union. The road to Europe cannot lead through Kazakhstan."

Ukraine's tense relationship with the EU was a major topic at the Krynica Economic Forum in neighbouring Poland - which has been described as eastern Europe's answer to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Kyiv's Deputy Minister for European Integration Oleksandr Chalyi blamed the EU for his country's decision to have more cordial ties with Moscow than Brussels, contending that the Union had failed to seriously examine the prospect of granting Ukraine the possibility to join it.

But a European Commission insider said the view in Brussels is that there has not been enough "movement on the ground" during Leonid Kuchma's tenure as president to develop closer ties with Ukraine.

Pro-democracy campaigners in Ukraine are hoping that Kuchma, who has been in power since 1994, will be replaced next year by former premier Victor Yuschenko, head of the Our Ukraine party.

Widely criticized internationally for his autocratic style of leadership, Kuchma is legally barred from trying to seek a third term but he has been attempting to alter the constitution to allow him do so.

"Integration with the European Union requires a change of authorities," said MP Yuriy Pavlenko, leader of the Youth Party of Ukraine.

The Kuchma era has been marred by a series of deaths of journalists, who had been critical of him, under mysterious circumstances. "At times there is more in-depth investigative journalism in Ukraine than I see in the UK or US," remarked James Sherr.

"But some people have crossed certain lines and there is no doubt in my mind that because those lines have been crossed, they've been murdered."

Ukraine risks distancing itself from the EU if it seeks to forge closer ties with Russia.