Ukraine’s EU hopes dashed

Reports of the EU-Ukraine Summit, Paris, 9 September 2008.

The European Union declined to offer Ukraine a clear path to EU membership, frustrating Ukrainian officials who said the bloc had thrown away a golden opportunity to stabilise its eastern frontier and encourage political and economic reform in Kiev.

However Ukraine was offered an association agreement with the EU, to be signed in 2009.

BBC News, 9.9.08: EU offers reassurance to Ukraine http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7606014.stm

Council of the European Union: Press Release: PRES/08/247: EU-Ukraine Summit, Paris, 9 September 2008 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/er/102633.pdf

France24, 9.9.08: EU to encourage stronger ties with Kiev http://www.france24.com/en/20080909-eu-optimistic-about-stronger-ukraine-ties-european-union-paris-kiev&navi=MONDE

European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/1302: Leaders look forward to a new phase in EU- Ukraine relations http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1302&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Spiegel Online International, 9.9.08: Europe to Offer Kiev Cautious Encouragement http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,577153,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 9.9.08: EU Makes Positive Noises But Offers Only Vague Deal to Ukraine http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3632964,00.html

Ukranian News Agency, 10.9.08: European Party: Ukraine Failed To Become Associated EU Member At Ukraine-EU Summit Because Of Political Crisis http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/147804.html

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