The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) welcomes the Joint Declaration adopted on 24 November 2017 by the participants of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Brussels that acknowledges the European aspirations and European choice of the EaP partners, as stated in the respective Association Agreements (AAs) between the European Union (EU) and Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
In addition, the Summit participants welcome the effective implementation of the visa free regimes for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and look forward to strengthening cooperation and further progress in the area of mobility.
The UWC also supports a recommendation voted on 15 November 2017 by the European Parliament (EP) calling on the EU to reiterate that the AAs with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine do not constitute the final goal in their relations with the EU, as well as pointing out that, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union and in line with the Rome Declaration of 25 March 2017, any European state may apply to become a member of the EU, provided it adheres to the Copenhagen criteria and the principles of democracy, that it respects fundamental freedoms and human rights including those of minority groups and that it upholds the rule of law. Furthermore, in line with the EP recommendation, the UWC urges the EU to initialize a strategic ‘EaP+’ model that could eventually lead to Ukraine’s joining the customs union, energy union, digital union and Schengen area, further EU internal market access, and other mutually beneficial outcomes. Finally, the UWC sides with the EP in supporting the deployment of an armed OSCE police mission in Eastern Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian World Congress supports the above statements of the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit, as well as the related recommendation by the European Parliament, and continues to support Ukraine in its process of European integration and reforms, as well as in combatting Russian hybridaggressionagainst Ukraine,” said UWC President Eugene Czolij.
