Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

99. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the European Union continues to interact with Ukraine in a supportive manner with particular reference to the protection and continuation of the democratic process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40083/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The EU remains fully committed to assisting Ukraine in delivering its political and economic reform programme and has provided unprecedented levels of support to underpin the Government’s efforts. This support includes loans, budget support, humanitarian aid, technical assistance and trade preferences. In addition, the EU is playing a key role in helping to reform the civilian security sector through its Advisory Mission to Ukraine. 1 September 2017 marked an important milestone in relations with Ukraine when the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement legally entered into force. The fully ratified Agreement will allow the EU to further strengthen its cooperation with Ukraine and to deepen the country’s political association and economic integration with the Union. The provisional application of the trade part of the Agreement since last year has already seen a welcome increase of 25% in two way trade and this is expected to continue in the coming years. The most recent EU-Ukraine Summit took place in Kyiv on 13 July and provided an opportunity to assess progress on the reforms, in particular the fight against corruption.

As regards the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, the EU continues to back efforts to secure implementation of the Minsk peace agreements within the framework of the OSCE Trilateral Contact Group (OSCE, Russia and Ukraine) and the Normandy Format (France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine). The Minsk agreements offer the only basis for a stable and lasting political resolution to the conflict in Ukraine and the European Union remains firmly committed to facilitating their full implementation.