YES Board discussed Ukraine’s European future and reform process with President Poroshenko, Prime Minister Groysman and other officials

The Supervisory Board of Yalta European Strategy (YES) met, among others, with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman, and Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko. The meetings focused on how YES can support Ukraine’s reform process and European integration.

“Only a combination of hard reform work, honesty and coherent communication will ensure a lasting commitment of Ukraine’s international partners,” said President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Chairman of the Board. “As YES board, we work to facilitate dialog between Ukraine and its partners in Europe and beyond. Since 2004, we have provided a platform to bring Ukraine’s different political camps together with world leaders regularly for open dialog, new ideas. To provide a high level public diplomacy platform as every decent European nation should have.” He added: “We learned today where Ukraine’s leaders, and representatives of Ukrainian civil society, see a need for the support of YES. How we can help discuss and communicate Ukraine’s challenges, successes and deficits. We also passed on what we hear from decision makers in Europe, to inform the actions of Ukraine’s leadership, members of parliament and high level civil servants.”

The YES board met also with the Ambassadors of the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, France and the UK, as well as with representatives of the “Eurooptimists” group in the Ukrainian parliament.

Yalta European Strategy was established in early 2004 by the Ukrainian businessman and public figure Victor Pinchuk to facilitate the European integration of Ukraine into Europe and the world. YES is governed by a distinguished Board, chaired by Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President of Poland (1995–2005). The members of the Board are Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament (2002-2004), Member of the European Parliament (1989-2004); Stephane Fouks, Vice President of Havas Group, Executive Co-Chairman of Havas Worldwide; Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference; Victor Pinchuk, Founder of EastOne group.

The YES Annual Meetings are the leading international conference in the region with decade-long track of support for Ukraine’s integration to the EU and the world. By bringing together international political, business and civic leaders, YES Meetings facilitate dialogue about Ukraine’s European future and global position, and stimulate discussion to build strategies for Wider Europe and the world. The YES Meetings help strengthen international networks of support for Ukraine and provide impulses for the Ukrainian change-makers. The 13th YES Annual Meeting will take place on September 15-17, 2016 in Kyiv.