Ferrero-Waldner hails ‘progress’ on EU-Ukraine talks

EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said there is ‘good progress’ in negotiations on closer EU-Ukraine relations.

After a meeting with Ukrainian foreign affairs minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Tuesday, Ferrero-Waldner also declared that the EU “fully supports Ukraine’s early entry into the World Trade Organisation”.

"There are still some small questions open for Ukraine’s WTO accession”, the commissioner said.

But she added that she “welcomed good progress in the negotiations”.

Yatsenyuk was in Brussels to discuss his country’s relations with the EU ahead of the tenth EU-Ukraine summit, which will take place in Kiev on 14 September.

The minister said "perspectives are good" for Ukraine’s WTO entry, and said "I hope that by the end of the year, Ukraine will join the WTO club".

"Within Ukraine’s political forces, everyone backs European integration and our way towards the EU," Yatsenyuk said.

But he emphasised that European perspectives for Ukraine "are the choice of the Ukrainian population".

"The enhanced agreement with the EU could be a very good basis for our further integration," he said. 

Ferrero-Waldner added that the new agreement with Kiev "will be the most advanced agreement within the EU’s neighbourhood policy".

But she cautioned that the early parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 September will be a key factor.

"It is important that the 30 September elections be conducted in a fully democratic manner," the commissioner said.

"We hope there will be a stable situation in Ukraine that can be followed by constitutional reform."

Yatsenyuk responded by assuring that "Ukraine will have transparent and democratic elections".

"I promise we are interested in having the most transparent elections we ever had," he said.

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