Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s second visit to Brussels turned out to be the exact opposite of his first visit there last week. Whereas the first could be described as anti-Atlantic, the second one deserves to be called pro-European. One week ago, the Ukrainian prime minister spoke at NATO headquarters, saying that Ukraine was not prepared to enter a closer cooperation phase in the Membership Action Plan format.
During his second visit to Brussels for talks with high-ranking European officials, Viktor Yanukovych declared time and again that Ukraine is prepared to take every step required to join the European Union. “Ukraine is prepared to travel the road leading to EU membership,” the Ukrainian prime minister declared after his meeting with Josep Borrell, president of the European Parliament. The interesting fact is that Yanukovych argued the possibility of such measures by pointing to changes that have recently been introduced in Ukraine. He cited the constitutional reform, which has provided an opportunity for “stable, predictable cooperation between the government and parliament.” Indeed. How could it be otherwise, if parliament and the cabinet are almost the same thing.
The prime minister when on to say that he has done his homework and is aware of the priorities on the road to EU membership: combating corruption, carrying out economic transformations, and WTO membership. It is still anyone’s guess here how the anti-crisis coalition will cope with the task of having 21 bills ratified by the end of the year so that Ukraine can join the WTO. One of the coalition members, the Communist Party of Ukraine, continues to oppose this country’s WTO membership.
It has long been known that people in Brussels know how to listen and value concrete deeds more than politicians’ statements. Further proof of this is what the president of the European Parliament had to say after meeting with the Ukrainian prime minister. He stated that on Dec. 6 the European Parliament will receive a complete progress report from Kyiv about the Ukraine-EU Action Plan. Borrell also pointed out that it is extremely important for the European Parliament to see democratic reforms underway in Ukraine. All this means that the European community of nations will be closely following not only how Ukraine’s top-level politicians keep their word, but also how its government shares general European values in practice.
During his meeting with Barroso the Ukrainian prime minister repeated that Ukraine is prepared to integrate with the European Union. During the press conference Yanukovych noted that both sides have reached the conclusion that Ukraine and the EU must travel a winding road toward the strategic goal of Ukraine’s EU membership, adding that guidelines will be determined in a new and broader agreement on partnership and cooperation between Ukraine and the EU.
During a joint press conference Barroso complimented Yanukovych, saying that the European Union does not give preference to any political forces or policies in Ukraine; it supports democratic values, openness, and transparency. The president of the European Commission went on to say that during his meetings with Yanukovych he could see that he is a politician who meets all these requirements.
What does the European Union want to hear from Ukraine’s prime minister? Who is the main partner in the Ukraine-EU talks-the president or the prime minister?
COMMENTARY
Marek SIWIEC, head of the EU delegation for contacts with Ukraine:
This is Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s first visit to the European Union. Everyone is waiting for the Ukrainian prime minister’s declarations and new ideas. It is generally known that his stand is extremely important in terms of the constitutional reform. Who will be the number-one partner for the EU on the Ukrainian side?
According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the main partner in the foreign political domain is the president of Ukraine, with the prime minister acting as chief of operations, or manager tasked with supervising the process. President Yushchenko cuts an attractive, strong, and virtuous figure in the eyes of the European Union. Viktor Yanukovych is still an unknown quantity.
All of Ukraine’s political parties agree that integration is a priority for Ukraine. Now the question is: how will Ukraine act to make this priority more effective? Ukraine has to implement a great many reforms and change a great many laws. I think they are expecting from Yanukovych a concrete and practical approach to solving Ukraine’s European integration problems.
This visit may become an historic event - if Brussels can sense Prime Minister Yanukovych’s resolute attitude, and if it hears statements pointing to Ukraine’s determination to carry out specific reforms within specific timeframes. The EU-Ukraine agreement will expire by the end of this year. Experts are now negotiating a new agreement. I believe that these are the best preconditions in which Ukraine and the EU can work out a concrete, realistic, and optimistic integration schedule.
