UWC urges Prime Minister of the Netherlands to unblock full and unconditional ratification of EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

In a letter of 26 October 2016 Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij urged the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, to unblock the full and unconditional ratification by the Netherlands of the EU‑Ukraine Association Agreement (Agreement).

The UWC President emphasized that this Agreement, with all of its key elements, focuses on support for core reforms in Ukraine, economic recovery and growth, governance and broad-ranged sector cooperation, builds a long-term foundation for EU-Ukraine relations and serves as an instrument which reflects the strategic importance of these relations.

Highlighting the benefits of this Agreement to both Ukraine and the Netherlands, Eugene Czolij noted that the provisional application of this Agreement has already significantly impacted Ukraine by contributing to the adoption of major reforms and tangible measures to fight corruption, while for the Netherlands this Agreement would open access to Ukraine’s market of 45 million consumers.

The consequences of not ratifying this Agreement are significant for both Ukraine and Europe as a whole, concluded the UWC President. Non-ratification of this Agreement would send Ukrainians a negative signal that Europeans lack confidence in Ukraine’s democratic potential and ability to reform, call into question Europe’s global image as a geopolitical block and throw the future of the EU’s Eastern Partnership into question.

“The Ukrainian World Congress strongly urges Prime Minister Mark Rutte to unblock the full and unconditional ratification of the EU‑Ukraine Association Agreement since it is clearly in the best interests of Ukraine, the Netherlands, and the entire European Union,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.