Pawel ZALEWSKI: Ukraine’s membership will reinforce the EU

Last Friday, Pawel ZALEWSKI, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Economic Integration, Legal Approximation and Convergence with EU Policies in the framework of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly; initiator and first chairman of the Polish-Ukrainian Inter-Parliamentary Group in the European Parliament; since April 1, 2011, Coordinator of International Relations in the Coordination Council of the Ministry of Agriculture of Ukraine, took part in the international conference “Ukraine on the Road of European Integration: Current Status and Prospects” held on the campus of the Taras Shevchenko National University’s Institute of Foreign Relations. As a member of the European Parliament, he attended the Europe Day festivities. More on this in the following interview.

You have been closely following the recent events in Ukraine, including what happened in Lviv on May 9 and the diplomatic scandal involving Prague and Kyiv. Isn’t this a foreign country’s attempt to split Ukraine and prevent its integration into the EU?

“I’m in Kyiv in conjunction with Europe Day and other events. In the first place, there appears to be strong public support of the European integration effort. I have watched the events in Lviv and the Polish side will expect answers to certain questions. More importantly, I can see massive public support for European integration. Also, there has been progress in the talks over the past couple of months. We are optimistic. We expect a compromise to be reached in June or September, in regard to the deep and comprehensive free trade area, so an agreement will be made during Poland’s presidency in the European Union, much to my country’s benefit; so we can finalize this deal, so it will signify an important landmark in the relations between Ukraine and the EU. I understand that things happen, yet I’m convinced that this integration course will remain unchanged.”

You must have heard Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryshchenko’s statement during the international conference at the Institute of Foreign Relations, about Ukraine being a geopolitical asset, and about the European Union having thus to show this country European prospects. I know that the European Parliament supports this idea, but the question is how to convince the big European countries to present Ukraine with EU membership prospects?

“Let me give you an evocative example, [based on] our Polish experience. We signed the FTA agreement in 1992 and this was our beginning on the road to EU membership, without any promises [from anybody]. Everyone knew that we first had to do our homework. That FTA was difficult for Poland in many respects. If one compares the situation 19 years back (when we were taking the first steps) to the current one, when Poland is increasing the per capita income and showing real progress, there is no doubt that the right decision was made at the time. I think the same applies to Ukraine. As in our case, back in 1992, Ukraine isn’t offered EU membership, yet there are doubtlessly many European Parliament and Commission members prepared to support Ukraine’s membership. Under the Lisbon agreement, any country that can meet the Copenhagen criteria and applies for membership should count on a favorable attitude. My piece of advice is, you should start making reforms in Ukraine. This is something your country needs more than Europe, as was the case with Poland. Europe needs a developing Ukraine, a stable democracy.”

Perhaps the EU doesn’t want to show Ukraine [membership] prospects because it doesn’t understand its geopolitical importance? Could the reason behind this be the EU’s lack of attention to Ukraine, with Russia trying take her in its embrace?

“We are aware of Ukraine’s diversified contacts with Russia, including the long border and lasting economic, cultural, and social ties. These are important and understandable issues. It is important for Poland to know that Ukraine’s European integration process, starting with a comprehensive FTA project, will be accompanied by neighborly relations with Russia. This is an advantage and I think this is what the Ukrainian government is after, working hard to make things better. At the same time, I would like to point out that a number of interest groups are busy solving their own problems — a phenomenon I personally dislike, but it is still there and it tends to aggravate, what with Europe’s growing troubles with its southern neighborhood, and with Ukraine being the key player of the game. For my fellow members of the European Parliament and myself, it is perfectly clear that Ukraine’s future EU membership will reinforce this organization.”