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30 August 2021, 10:21
Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO — the priorities of the Strategy of Foreign Policy of Ukraine
On August 26, the President put into effect
(https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/4482021-40017) the decision of
the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of July 30, 2021
«On the Strategy of Foreign Policy of Ukraine». The document clearly
defines the goal of foreign policy of establishing Ukraine as a strong
European state. The course for Ukraine's membership in the European
Union and NATO is called one of the priorities of foreign policy.
EU membership
Full membership of Ukraine in the EU is a strategic course of the state, — it is declared in Strategy of foreign policy of Ukraine. In this way, the document outlines following tasks:
- full use of the potential of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU as the basis of political association and economic integration of Ukraine into the EU;
- further involvement of the EU support for the implementation of internal reforms in Ukraine, economic recovery of Donetsk and Luhansk regions;
- development of Ukraine's sectoral integration with the EU;
- ensuring the gradual integration of Ukraine into the EU internal market;
- Ukraine's compliance with the Copenhagen criteria for the EU membership;
- providing political support to the EU member states for Ukraine's prospects for full membership in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union;
- strengthening the strategic importance of the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative, in particular by developing cooperation within the Associated Trio — a tripartite format of enhanced cooperation between Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova on European integration.
Deepened economic cooperation with the European Union
To deepen cooperation with the EU in the field of trade, the Strategy envisages the following measures:
- minimization of trade barriers;
- tariffs liberalization;
- further harmonization of national norms and standards with European ones;
- revision of the Association Agreement regarding the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area;
- conclusion of the Agreement on conformity assessment and acceptability of industrial products;
- transport liberalization;
- deepen cooperation in the customs area.
The Strategy states that Ukraine's geopolitical position makes it not only an integral part of the European and Euro-Atlantic security systems, but also an important energy and logistics hub in the region. Therefore, measures will be taken to strengthen energy security and address threats to energy stability in Europe. Coordination will continue with key international partners, including the United States and the EU member states, to prevent the Russian Federation's attempts to use energy resources and supply infrastructure as a tool of pressure and influence on other states.
According to the document, Ukraine will remain a reliable and responsible partner of the EU in gas transit, which will serve to guarantee the strengthening of Europe's energy security, and will develop a strategic partnership with the EU in the energy area. Work will continue to ensure the full integration of Ukraine's and the EU's energy markets.
Ukraine's integration projects with the EU
The formation of the energy market, the common aviation space, the digital single market, the implementation of the European green deal in Ukraine's foreign policy strategy are called new ambitious integration projects within the EU.
«Ukraine has significant potential to become an important component of the EU sectoral policies. Work will be intensified to ensure full integration into the EU energy market, including the integration of Ukraine's energy system into the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), joining the EU projects on a common aviation area, digital single market, implementation of the European green deal», — the document says.
Within the framework of sectoral cooperation with the EU, one of the goals is the intensification of bilateral cooperation in the field of critical raw materials and batteries.
The main priorities of cooperation with the EU in the transport sector are: the integration of Ukraine's inland waterways into the trans-European transport network, ensuring the free transit of Ukrainian goods through the EU member states.
Active cooperation with the EU in scientific, educational and cultural spheres will continue, in particular through participation in the EU programs «Horizon Europe», «ERASMUS +», COSME, «Creative Europe», continued integration into the European Research Area.
The European Union is a strategic partner of Ukraine
The European Union is a strategic partner of Ukraine in ensuring stability in Europe and consolidating international political and economic pressure on the Russian Federation to stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine and restore Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
In this context, the priorities of Ukraine's foreign policy in relations with the EU are:
- keeping the solidarity of the EU member states with Ukraine in counteracting the aggression of the Russian Federation;
- maintaining the EU's consolidated position on non-recognition of the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, the involvement of the European Union in deoccupation measures, in particular within the framework of the «Crimean Platform» international format;
- increasing political pressure on Russia and maintaining all current EU restrictive measures (sanctions) until the complete restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity;
- introduction of new restrictive measures (sanctions) by the EU in response to Russia's violation of international law, human rights and freedoms in the temporarily occupied territories.
The Strategy also focuses on Russia's information war against Ukraine and the joint efforts with the EU to confront information threats. «The EU recognizes cyber threats, misinformation, propaganda, as one of the main current challenges to European security. Ukraine's is at the epicentre of disinformation and cyber attacks and has rich experience in combating them. It makes the partnership with the EU in this area mutually beneficial», — the document says.
NATO membership
Ukraine's full membership in NATO is a strategic course of the country, as stated in Ukraine's Foreign Policy Strategy. In this context, the priorities of the foreign policy are:
- achieving compliance with the criteria for NATO membership through implementation of a wide range of internal reforms in the framework of annual national programs under the auspices of the NATO-Ukraine Commission;
- effective use of all opportunities for cooperation with the Alliance provided to Ukraine in the framework of the status of a partner with enhanced capabilities;
- the decision of the Alliance to invite Ukraine to the NATO Membership Action Plan.
To make an important contribution to improving the international security environment, Ukraine will continue to actively participate in ongoing NATO operations and missions, the NATO Response Force, and will join the Alliance's training mission in Iraq and NATO's Marine Guard operation in The Mediterranean Sea, — the Strategy says.
EU membership
Full membership of Ukraine in the EU is a strategic course of the state, — it is declared in Strategy of foreign policy of Ukraine. In this way, the document outlines following tasks:
- full use of the potential of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU as the basis of political association and economic integration of Ukraine into the EU;
- further involvement of the EU support for the implementation of internal reforms in Ukraine, economic recovery of Donetsk and Luhansk regions;
- development of Ukraine's sectoral integration with the EU;
- ensuring the gradual integration of Ukraine into the EU internal market;
- Ukraine's compliance with the Copenhagen criteria for the EU membership;
- providing political support to the EU member states for Ukraine's prospects for full membership in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union;
- strengthening the strategic importance of the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative, in particular by developing cooperation within the Associated Trio — a tripartite format of enhanced cooperation between Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova on European integration.
Deepened economic cooperation with the European Union
To deepen cooperation with the EU in the field of trade, the Strategy envisages the following measures:
- minimization of trade barriers;
- tariffs liberalization;
- further harmonization of national norms and standards with European ones;
- revision of the Association Agreement regarding the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area;
- conclusion of the Agreement on conformity assessment and acceptability of industrial products;
- transport liberalization;
- deepen cooperation in the customs area.
The Strategy states that Ukraine's geopolitical position makes it not only an integral part of the European and Euro-Atlantic security systems, but also an important energy and logistics hub in the region. Therefore, measures will be taken to strengthen energy security and address threats to energy stability in Europe. Coordination will continue with key international partners, including the United States and the EU member states, to prevent the Russian Federation's attempts to use energy resources and supply infrastructure as a tool of pressure and influence on other states.
According to the document, Ukraine will remain a reliable and responsible partner of the EU in gas transit, which will serve to guarantee the strengthening of Europe's energy security, and will develop a strategic partnership with the EU in the energy area. Work will continue to ensure the full integration of Ukraine's and the EU's energy markets.
Ukraine's integration projects with the EU
The formation of the energy market, the common aviation space, the digital single market, the implementation of the European green deal in Ukraine's foreign policy strategy are called new ambitious integration projects within the EU.
«Ukraine has significant potential to become an important component of the EU sectoral policies. Work will be intensified to ensure full integration into the EU energy market, including the integration of Ukraine's energy system into the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), joining the EU projects on a common aviation area, digital single market, implementation of the European green deal», — the document says.
Within the framework of sectoral cooperation with the EU, one of the goals is the intensification of bilateral cooperation in the field of critical raw materials and batteries.
The main priorities of cooperation with the EU in the transport sector are: the integration of Ukraine's inland waterways into the trans-European transport network, ensuring the free transit of Ukrainian goods through the EU member states.
Active cooperation with the EU in scientific, educational and cultural spheres will continue, in particular through participation in the EU programs «Horizon Europe», «ERASMUS +», COSME, «Creative Europe», continued integration into the European Research Area.
The European Union is a strategic partner of Ukraine
The European Union is a strategic partner of Ukraine in ensuring stability in Europe and consolidating international political and economic pressure on the Russian Federation to stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine and restore Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
In this context, the priorities of Ukraine's foreign policy in relations with the EU are:
- keeping the solidarity of the EU member states with Ukraine in counteracting the aggression of the Russian Federation;
- maintaining the EU's consolidated position on non-recognition of the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, the involvement of the European Union in deoccupation measures, in particular within the framework of the «Crimean Platform» international format;
- increasing political pressure on Russia and maintaining all current EU restrictive measures (sanctions) until the complete restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity;
- introduction of new restrictive measures (sanctions) by the EU in response to Russia's violation of international law, human rights and freedoms in the temporarily occupied territories.
The Strategy also focuses on Russia's information war against Ukraine and the joint efforts with the EU to confront information threats. «The EU recognizes cyber threats, misinformation, propaganda, as one of the main current challenges to European security. Ukraine's is at the epicentre of disinformation and cyber attacks and has rich experience in combating them. It makes the partnership with the EU in this area mutually beneficial», — the document says.
NATO membership
Ukraine's full membership in NATO is a strategic course of the country, as stated in Ukraine's Foreign Policy Strategy. In this context, the priorities of the foreign policy are:
- achieving compliance with the criteria for NATO membership through implementation of a wide range of internal reforms in the framework of annual national programs under the auspices of the NATO-Ukraine Commission;
- effective use of all opportunities for cooperation with the Alliance provided to Ukraine in the framework of the status of a partner with enhanced capabilities;
- the decision of the Alliance to invite Ukraine to the NATO Membership Action Plan.
To make an important contribution to improving the international security environment, Ukraine will continue to actively participate in ongoing NATO operations and missions, the NATO Response Force, and will join the Alliance's training mission in Iraq and NATO's Marine Guard operation in The Mediterranean Sea, — the Strategy says.