Single Economic Space Membership Not Expedient For Ukraine

Ukraine will not implement documents on accession to the Single Economic Space if it decides that they do not mesh with its national interests. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Oleh Rybachuk has already made a statement to this effect. “I am not aware of a single argument that would support the fact that accession to the SES is advantageous to Ukraine. If SES documents run counter to European integration, we will not implement them, since they do not correspond to our chief course,” he said. At the same time Rybachuk pointed out that Ukraine is not shying away from establishing closer ties with Russia. “Closer ties suit us; we want to remove trade barriers. But we are changing our policy toward Russia in principle,” Rybachuk said. Speaking about Ukraine’s dependence on Russian energy resources, he said: “The question of energy resource is for Russia to decide. Our advantage is that we buy natural gas at nearly market prices.” He emphasized that efforts aimed at Ukraine’s European integration will be intensified. He spoke about “seven-mile steps” that will be made toward European membership. Rybachuk believes that the result of these efforts will be Ukraine’s entry into the European Union ten years from now at the latest, Interfax reports.