The EU is unprofitable to recognize their dependence on Russia. The problem of Ukraine, in turn, to explain that we can be more competitive than Russia

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Further expansion of the European Union, an extremely unpopular idea among Europeans, who are dissatisfied with previous waves of EU enlargement in 2004 and 2007. That is why the EU promises Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova a membership perspective. This was during the 28th Economic forum in Polish Krynica-zdrój, said the European Commissioner for enlargement in 1999-2004, günter Verheugen.

“When I met with Kuchma (the second President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma. – Ed.) many European leaders (if I name them, you’d be surprised) then called me and said, don’t promise them anything. Then I told Kuchma that the best I can offer is the neighbourhood policy, the action plan… But the next step would be an Association Agreement, which logically follows the introduction (the EU. – Ed.)”, – said günter Verheugen.

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But, he said, it is well known that the EU rejects membership of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.

“Further EU enlargement is a very unpopular idea among European citizens, and the reason is that the success of expansion in 2004 and 2007 not approved in the EU. If you are a European leader and want at home to win the election, you can’t say you support further extension, you will lose their voters,” concluded the former Commissioner.

At the same time, the Director of the Institute of world politics Evgeny Magda believes that the representatives of Old Europe, since coal and steel community and then the European economic community, has so perfected this “Aesopian” language that is ready to maneuver around any solution.

“The European integration of Ukraine – it is a huge challenge for Europe, which has not yet fully digested Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania. Now there is a vector (of integration. – Ed.) In The Western Balkans. Why? There is a relatively small country, they do not generate a migration crisis. Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe, plus 40 million population is a huge challenge. When the EU will understand that Ukraine is a factor increasing the economic, military, speaking about the prospects of a defense Alliance that is a new market and new opportunities for investment…”, – told the “Today” Eugene Magda.

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According to him, one needs to clearly understand that the European Union we do not owe anything. But at the same time, the EU is unprofitable to recognize their dependence on Russia.

“Russia offers economic benefits, preferences – she stuffed his hand back in the Soviet Union. Our task is to explain that we can be more competitive than Russia”, – concluded the expert.

Recall that the economic part of the agreement Ukraine signed on 27 June 2014. However, for a long time, the document was not ratified. And in April last year in the Netherlands held a consultative referendum in which more than 60% of voters opposed the approval of the Agreement.

By the end of 2016 has been developed a compromise document, which contained additional conditions for the ratification of the document by the Netherlands. In particular, the Agreement should not provide for automatic membership of Ukraine in the EU, giving us security guarantees, the right to participate in the defense unions and the right to employment of Ukrainians in Europe. In the end, 11 July 2017 , the EU finally ratified the Agreement, which entered into force on 1 September of the same year.

After the document has started to operate, there was a reaction of the European Union. European politicians and high officials said that they think about a new stage of cooperation with Ukraine.

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Georgia, Brussels, Moldova, EU membership, the Balkans , the Association agreement

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Zelenyuk Christina

Source:

“Today”

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