Wednesday

4th Oct 2023

Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine cement EU ties

  • Grybauskaite gave Poroshenko the same pen Yanukovych refused to use in Vilnius (Photo: consilium.europa.eu)

Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have said their signature of EU free trade treaties is a first step to accession.

Leaders of the former Soviet republics and the 28 EU states signed the accords in Brussels on Friday (27 June).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The move crowns seven years of technical negotiations and comes despite Russian efforts to disrupt the process with trade bans, gas disputes, and military aggression.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko used the same pen that his predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, was supposed to have used at an EU summit in Vilnius last November before he changed his mind and before pro-EU demonstrators swept him from power.

Poroshenko told press in Brussels that Lithuanian President Dalia Grybausakite had kept the pen for him.

“It [the signature] didn’t happen then, but the pen is the same, demonstrating that historical events are inevitable,” he said.

He called the signature “a tribute to those who gave their life … to make this happen”.

He said: “By signing the agreement with the European Union, Ukraine, as a European state … is underlining its sovereign choice in favour of future membership”. He added that he expects the EU to give Ukraine a “membership perspective” in “a short time”.

Moldovan PM Iurie Leanca said he will file an official EU entry application next year. “Moldova has made a choice and this choice is definitive - European integration”, he noted.

Georgia’s Irakli Garibashvili said: “Unofficially, we applied today. Officially, it [Georgia’s application date] depends on the progress that we make in terms of reforms”.

The “deep” free trade accords oblige the three states to make far-reaching reforms to comply with EU single market rules.

They can still have free trade with Russia, but they are bound to stay out of Russia’s Eurasian Union.

The signature prompted a small celebration in Kiev city centre, where some of the people who fought riot police in February reconvened on Friday to mark the EU summit event.

Latest polls say 61 percent of Ukrainians favour EU membership, compared to 54.5 percent in March before Russia began its assault.

All three leaders tried to dampen popular expectations by warning the EU pacts will, for the time being, mean years of “painful” economic and political reforms.

Poland and some other ex-Iron Curtain EU members would like the Union to expand further east, but they are in a minority.

For his part, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso described the trade treaties as “the most ambitious the European Union has entered into” with non-candidate countries.

“We are well aware of our partners' aspirations to go further; and we acknowledge their European choice. As we have stated before, these agreements do not constitute the endpoint of the EU's co-operation with its partners. Quite the opposite”, he said.

EU Council chief Herman Van Rompuy added the three states “rightfully belong” in the “European family”.

Poroshenko described their remarks as the strongest ever pro-accession EU statements.

But some EU diplomats say the Union is still unsure how to handle the consequences of the Ukraine revolution despite its warm words.

“So far in the history of the EU, no country has had to fight for the sake of EU integration. This is the first such country and the West doesn’t know how to react. It's surprised that some people are actually ready to give their lives for European values”, said one contact.

Soros to EU: Help 'new Ukraine' against 'new Russia'

US philanthropist George Soros has said the EU needs to support "new Ukraine" in its struggle against Putin's "new Russia". His words came as Ukraine's President ended a unilateral ceasefire with separatists in the east of the country.

Column

Northern Europe — the new Nato/Russia frontline

The world has changed, not least in northern Europe, which is rapidly becoming one of the new frontlines between Nato and Russia. It is sometimes said that even the largest avalanche is caused by something small. Watch Northern Europe

Opinion

The EU-Kenya free trade deal shows a waning 'Brussels effect'

EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis popped a bottle of champagne in early June 2023. After the failed ratification of an Economic Partnership Agreement with the East African Community in 2016, he finally could declare success. However, there's little to celebrate.

Latest News

  1. Migration: Let us put the 'pull factor' myth finally to rest
  2. EU demands 'full clarity' from Warsaw on visa-scandal
  3. EU reveals 10 'critical tech' in bid to de-risk from China
  4. EU Commission at a loss over latest snub from Tunisia
  5. Northern Europe — the new Nato/Russia frontline
  6. The EU-Kenya free trade deal shows a waning 'Brussels effect'
  7. Hoekstra pledges to phase-out fossil fuel subsidies
  8. 10 years on from the Lampedusa shipwreck — what's changed?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  2. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us