Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Ukraine’s foreign minister, clearly has his work cut out
for him. The conviction of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko by a Pechersk court to a seven year prison sentence has been seen, almost universally, as a piece of bully-boy politics, which will
set back Ukraine’s links with the EU. NATO has made clear it is “disappointed” by the sentence handed down while several European foreign ministers, including Foreign Secretary
William Hague, have expressed their concern. I fielded these questions to Ukraine’s foreign minister via email.
Daniel Korski: The conviction of Yulia Tymoshenko is clearly a foreign policy mess for Ukraine, giving that it will most likely set back EU-Ukraine relations. There is even talk of cancelling President Viktor Yanukovych’s visit to Brussels later in the month and some have suggested boycotting the European Championship final in Kiev. How do you get out of this mess?
Kostyantyn Gryshchenko: Firstly, the verdict is a matter for the courts. We have an independent and impartial judiciary, separate from the executive branch of government. Internal processes should not undermine the progress we have made with regards to strengthening EU-Ukraine relations. EU integration is a clear policy priority for the current government. We have undertaken various reforms to meet EU standards and are fully committed to signing an Association Agreement with the EU later this year. With regard to the European Championship final I am proud to say that Kiev has just celebrated the inauguration of its new Euro 2012 stadium and we look forward to welcoming sports fans to our country next year.
DK: Long-term, even if an EU-Ukraine agreement is initialled, many EU states have made clear they intend to not ratify it – like the Dutch, Germans and British – how will Ukraine persuade these countries that Ukraine is signed up to basic standards.
KG: In response to this I would ask our European neighbours to look at the great steps Ukraine has taken since breaking away from the Soviet Union just 20 years ago. For example, during the financial crisis our economy continues to perform compared to that of many EU countries. Additionally, we have taken decisive steps to reform our broken pension system. There is still work to be done but we are getting our house in order. But we cannot do it all alone. Our EU aspirations have been recognised and endorsed by many European leaders. An Association Agreement will further support our reform efforts. It will provide for the establishment of a free trade area, offering mutual economic benefits. Additionally, under the terms of this agreement, we will adopt acquis communautaire and reform our political institutions to ensure compliance with European standards. This is a win-win for all parties and EU member states have a lot to gain from being associated with Ukraine.
DK: What will the case do for relations between Russia and Ukraine, given that Mrs Tymoshenko signed the deal with Vladimir Putin – who, based on his comments yesterday, does not seem to think that the former prime minister has a case to answer at all and is now worried that the structure of Russian-Ukraine energy relations will unravel?
KG: The trial was about a criminal matter – abuse of office – where Ms. Tymoshenko’s decisions cost Ukraine billions of dollars. We remain committed to negotiating fairer terms with Russia for our gas – and we will not forgo our national interests. We are confident that in the coming weeks we will strike a compromise with Russia and agree on a fair price.
DK: Given that the EU has made clear that the conviction is a show-stopper and that Ukraine seems to be pushing for inclusion of language in the Association Agreement it is meant to sign with the EU that the government must know it will not get – for example insisting on language about Ukraine’s membership perspective – has the Ukrainian government decided to give up on an EU accession and is just looking for ways to blame others?
KG: No we have not given up on an EU accession. On the contrary, EU integration remains a policy priority. We are intent on meeting EU standards by taking the necessary steps in order to sign the Association Agreement at the end of the year. We believe this agreement will serve as a base for our eventual membership in the EU, which will enable Ukraine to complete its transformation to a fully democratic, market-oriented, stable state. This is not just in Ukraine’s interests, but in Western interests as well.
DK: In the last two years there has been some talk of Ukraine comparing itself to Turkey – a strong state on the borders of Europe, shaping its own foreign policy. But given the recent developments – and the loss of friends in both east and west – is Ukraine not more likely to end up as Belarus?
KG: I think you should look at how far Ukraine has come in just twenty years. We have a leader who was elected freely and fairly and has taken more effective steps in implementing positive internal reforms (pension, land, economic, to name a few) than any previous administration. He’s put his words into action and has made great strides in strengthening ties to Europe, while not isolating our neighbours. This is not to say that we do not have challenges, and we hope that we can rely on the support of our European neighbours as we continue to modernize our country with the goal of having a Ukraine that is anchored in the West.
Comments