Board of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) discussed Ukraine’s European prospects in Warsaw

On November 10, 2011, during a visit toWarsaw, the Board of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) discussed prospects ofUkraine’s integration with the European Union and the role of Poland, currently holding Presidency in the EU, in the negotiations on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

The Board met with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk and Minister of Finance of Poland Jan Vincent-Rostowski. Working meetings were held with representatives of the Polish MFA and members of the Polish Parliament, including also a Ukrainian delegation with Pavlo Klimkin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine;

Leonid Kozhara, MP, Deputy Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of Ukraine; Valeriy Chalyi, Deputy Chairman, Razumkov Centre. The Board was represented by Mario David, Aleksander Kwasniewski, Victor Pinchuk and Marek Siwiec,

Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland: “Poland has always been dedicated advocate of Ukraine’s European aspirations. And this is a consensus strategic dimension of Polish foreign policy.”

Aleksander Kwasniewski, Chairman of the Board of YES: «Poland will undertake all possible necessary steps to finish its presidency in EU by signing EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in December”.

The meeting participants emphasized that the upcoming EU presidencies of Cyprus and Denmark may not be as “emotionally engaged” with Ukraine as Poland is, and there may be less inclination to return to the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement if it is not initiated by the end of the Polish EU presidency.  

Speaking at a working dinner, Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies, University of Oxford, noted that Ukraine's accession to the EU is just as important for the EU itself as it is for Ukraine, since the rapid growth of Asian countries makes it necessary for the EU to reinforce its geopolitical and geo-economic position to strengthen its influence in the world.