Press Release: EU hosts meeting on cooperation with Ukraine and Eastern Partnership

A high-level meeting took place between the European Union and major international and European financial institutions in Brussels on 28 February 2013 to discuss the Eastern Partnership and Ukraine in particular.

Chaired by Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle the meeting touched upon the level of engagement with Ukraine and its Government. It was an important opportunity to assess the status of reforms, improve coordination and decision-making.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle, said: "Today's meeting with International Financial Institutions was a good opportunity to discuss the reform process as well as to improve coordination and shape upcoming decisions together. The European Union is committed to proceed with signing the Association Agreement as soon as Ukraine demonstrates determined action and tangible progress in the areas of justice, elections and Association Agenda reforms. We hope to sign the Association Agreement with Ukraine at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November where we also hope to conclude the negotiations on the Association Agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Armenia and advance in our negotiations with Azerbaijan."

Although the main discussion focused on Ukraine, it covered as well future interaction in the Eastern Partnership region as a whole in the run up to the summit in Vilnius. The topics covered important sectors such as energy, transport, and horizontal issues of governance and business climate.