The Netherlands will urge the EU to provide Ukraine with financial assistance and security guarantees – Reuters

The government of the Netherlands have prepared their requirements on the agreement on Association Ukraine-EU.

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands mark Rutte on Thursday, December 15, will urge the leaders of the European Union to exclude financial guarantees and security assurances for Ukraine. About it reports Reuters.

Failure to comply with the Netherlands will jeopardize a landmark Association agreement EU-Ukraine, which should establish a closer relationship in trade and envisages the gradual emancipation of the trade zone to bring Ukraine closer to Western Europe and away from Moscow.

See also: When to wait, bizviz with the EU. What is the last decision of the European Parliament on Ukraine

The resolution of the EU summit will give the Prime Minister Mark Rutte the opportunity to address Parliament with the request to approve the agreement with Ukraine, contrary to the results of the referendum.

“The stakes are high. In the end, if the Association agreement is not ratified by the Dutch, it will be a defeat for Ukraine, a defeat for the EU and Russia’s victory”, – quotes Agency the quote an unnamed diplomat.

Another diplomat said: “It’s expensive, but worth it. At this stage, it was that or nothing.”

Diplomats in Brussels said that the agreement is likely to be eventually achieved, despite the frustration of many countries, particularly on the Eastern borders of the EU, the position of the Netherlands. The EU ambassadors will discuss it on Monday in Brussels.

The draft document prepared by the Dutch for the leaders of the EU, said that the approval of the Association agreement with Ukraine “does not contain obligations for the Union or member countries to ensure collective security or other military assistance or to support Ukraine.”

Also, the project indicated that Ukrainians are not granted “the right to live and work in the territory of the European Union. Added that the Association agreement “does not require additional financial support from the EU Ukraine.

Reuters notes that none of these things are not spelled out in the Association agreement, however, the Netherlands want to bring them outside the scope of the document, to appease their voters, who in the referendum voted against the agreement on Association with Ukraine.

The draft document also States that the fight against corruption in Ukraine is key to building closer ties between Kiev and the European Union.

Currently, the agreement between Ukraine and the EU is acting on a temporary basis, however, the Netherlands has threatened to withdraw it if the EU did not approve the claims.

We will remind, earlier the Prime Minister of the Netherlands mark Rutte said that the government is likely to not ratify the Association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, taking into account the results of the April referendum in which the Dutch were against this Treaty. Subsequently, the media reported that the Dutch government considers it possible to ratify the Association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. It followed from the letter to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte to Parliament. It said that the Dutch government will continue negotiations with countries-members of EU and Ukraine with the aim to write that the Association agreement is not a step towards membership in the EU and the Ukrainians will not have access to the EU market. The letter also noted that should be included the lack of military cooperation and financial assistance.

April 6 in the Netherlands held a referendum on the Association agreement between Ukraine and the EU. In accordance with Dutch law, he had a consultative nature, and, consequently, the final decision on ratification of the Agreement after internal debate and procedures will be taken by the government of the Netherlands. The results of the referendum were announced in the Hague. According to the turnout of 32.28%, voted against and 61%, 38,21%.

Comments

comments