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Ukrainian PM Flies the Same Moscow-Brussels-Moscow Route
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich visited Brussels yesterday for the second time in the last 7 days, promising to make his country an EU member. Apparently, the visit was organized to make amends for the last trip when Yanukovich made a U-turn in Ukraine’s foreign policy, saying that the time for Ukraine to join NATO is not definite.
The Ukrainian prime minister came to Brussels on a one-day visit to meet the European Parliament’s head Josep Borrel and the European Commission’s president Jose Manuel Barroso.
Europe has not forgotten Viktor Yanukovich’s U-turn in Ukraine’s foreign policy when he virtually gave up the country’s ambitions to enter NATO last week. Back in Brussels, the Ukrainian prime minister tried to do his best to pledge his Western stance.
Yanukovich and Borrel discussed a possible signing of a new extended agreement on cooperation between Ukraine and the EU The European parliament’s head was extremely upbeat after the meeting: “Earlier, Ukraine’s talks on the accession to the EU were far from reality, but now Europe is forming a positive view on Ukraine’s actions as the partnership agreement and other programs of cooperation are being implemented.” “I am applauding your actions and I would like to offer a maximum level of cooperation,” he said. Prime Minister Yanukovich, in his turn, said that “Ukraine is ready to go all the way that will make it possible for us to enter the European Union.”
In contrast to talks at the European parliament, Viktor Yanukovich failed to break the ice at the European Commission. Jose Barroso did not even go out to meet the guest at the entrance.
The cold reception left Yanukovich unfazed. He showed political flexibility and left Brussels to fly straight to Moscow to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Fradkov.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 22, 2006
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