The leaders
of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have signed deals with the EU designed to
strengthen political and trade ties with the bloc. Russia's reaction was almost
instant, and it wasn't a message of congratulation.
Deutsche Welle, 27 June 2014
Ukrainian
President Petro Poroschenko (pictured above, center) signed the association
agreement with the European Union on the second day of a summit of the bloc's
28 leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
"I
think this is one of the most historic days for my country after getting
independence," Poroshenko told reporters as he arrived for the signing
ceremony. "It's an absolutely new perspective for my country."
It was a
decision by Kremlin-friendly former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych late last year to balk at signing the agreements, that in part sparked the country's
ongoing crisis.
The two
other eastern European leaders who signed deals on behalf of their respective
countries expressed similar sentiments to those of the new Ukrainian president.
"Moldova
has made a choice and that choice is definitive: It is that of European
integration," Moldova's Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said.
"Becoming
a full member of the unified European family is Georgia's unwavering
will," Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said, adding that it
marked "the beginning of a great journey."
The
president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy described the signings as
making Friday "a great day for Europe... the European Union stands by your
side today more than ever before."
He also
said that the accords contained "nothing that might harm Russia in any
way" and that they offered all involved the opportunity "to chart
together a safer future."
Russian
rage
However,
Russia, which has seen its influence in decline in much of eastern Europe
through the expansion of the EU and the Western military alliance NATO in
recent years, quickly expressed its disapproval of the agreements signed on
Friday.
"The
consequences of the signing by Ukraine and Moldova will certainly be
serious," Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin was quoted as saying by
Russia's Interfax news agency. He added however that "the signing of such
a serious document is, of course, a sovereign right of any state."
With the
signings completed, the 28 European heads of state and government were expected
to get down to the business of trying to reach a consensus on who should be the
next head of the European Commission.
By Friday
morning it was looking increasingly like Jean-Claude Juncker would win their approval, with just British Prime Minister David Cameron and his Hungarian
counterpart, Viktor Orban on the record as opposing the candidacy of the former
premier of Luxembourg.
pfd/ipj (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)
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