Neither failure, nor success

Last night’s Ukraine-EU jubilee summit ended in achieving a compromise of sorts as Ukraine’s actual membership remained questionable until the very last moment. The Ukrainian side succeeded in placing on record its European identity in a declaration on the summit’s results. In addition, the agreement will set forth Ukraine’s rights as a European country, in other words, its right to become a member of the European Union. The European side noted that all disputable matters relating to the agreement had been resolved. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, said that the finalizing of this agreement is a result of tremendous efforts on the part of both sides, and a big step toward EU membership.

EU leaders repeatedly stressed that there had emerged grave reservations of late, concerning Ukraine’s current and further democratic progress. Answering media people’s questions, Rompuy made it absolutely clear that the signing and ratification of the agreement would depend on Ukraine’s adherence to the European principles and standards. One can only hope that the current Ukrainian political leadership will convince Europe that there will be no retreat from democracy in this country. President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine has promised to heed criticism, so one can only hope that he will keep his promise and prove that European integration is Ukraine’s lasting choice; that Ukraine will become a true European country, with European values and standards on top of the agenda.

Europe has also reaffirmed its intention to finance an upgrading of Ukraine’s Gas Transportation System (GTS).

The Day asked Serhii Liovochkin, head of the Presidential Administration, for comment on the gas accords with Europe. He said that funding the GTS is a very big problem, considering that the European side hadn’t as yet honored its commitments, but that “we expect them to be implemented.” Liovochkin went on to say that Europe’s tentative estimates indicate 5.7 billion dollars as the cost of the pipeline’s modernization; that this upgrading can’t be put off, considering that its economic attractiveness keeps diminishing pro rata the activation of bypass pipelines (e.g., the Nord and the South Streams), along with the construction of underground gas storage facilities in Serbia. President Yanukovych told the sum-up press conference that Ukraine has once again suggested that Russia and EU refrain from building a consortium aimed at modernizing the Ukrai-nian GTS. First Deputy Prime Minister, Economy and Trade Minister Andrii Kliuiev explained to The Day in a blitz lobby interview that this would be a trilateral consortium (e.g., Ukraine, Russia, and EU) where the parties would hold 33 percent each, and one percent due Ukraine. He expected the talks to be completed in the nearest future. When asked whether the talks could end before the end of 2011, he said it was possible.