Russia pushes Ukraine into arms of EU

6.14.00pm GMT Tue 9th Sep 2008

Recent Russian incursions onto Georgian territory have served to focus minds in Kiev and Brussels on the nature of their long-term relationship. The EU-Ukraine summit today in Paris was intended to assess the current state of negotiations of a free trade agreement between the two sides and resolve some of the specific issues such as visa policy. Events last month in the South Caucasus though have served as a catalyst and convinced EU leaders of the need to consolidate stability on its Eastern border by offering to upgrade existing negotiations to that of an Associate Agreement underlined by a clear European vocation.

Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal and Democrat group in the European Parliament, welcomed the positive signal sent by the EU to its Ukrainian neighbors:

"Paradoxically, Prime Minister Putin's military adventure in the summer has done more for the cohesion of EU foreign policy than any number of Council statements could have achieved. He has re-awakened the demons of the former Soviet era and pushed many former soviet satellites to seek shelter and stability in the European Union framework."

"The agreement does not amount to fast tracking EU membership, but it does mark a clear direction for Ukraine's future relations with us which will depend to a large extent on Ukraine's own ability and readiness to demonstrate stable, democratic institutions and a functioning market economy. The EU's European Neighborhood Policy and its recently launched Eastern partnership constitute suitable mechanisms for taking the relationship forward."