BRUSSELS
The European Union and Ukraine have signed the political section of the bilateral association agreement on the same day as Russia formally annexed the breakaway region of Crimea.
Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy signed the Association Agreement on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels on Friday.
A free-trade portion of the agreement will not be signed until Ukraine holds elections.
Rompuy said in a statement that Europe is “by Ukrainians’ side”, adding: "Today's signature was but the opening act: we expect to be signing soon the remaining parts of the agreement, which forms a single instrument."
Ukraine’s former president Victor Yanukovych rejected the agreement in November 2013, a move that sparked nationwide protests and his subsequent removal from power.
EU leaders have strongly condemned Russia’s annexation of Crimea and have imposed sanctions against the country.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement that the EU will help Ukraine reform and be a stable, sovereign, democratic, and prosperous country.
Barroso said he had asked Commissioner Stefan Fule to go to Kiev next week, to work with the Ukrainian authorities on some of specific elements that the EU is now developing with them, some regarding the implementation of today’s association agreement.
"The discussions on Ukraine also reflect the importance of a stronger and truly European energy policy, a policy that strengthens our energy security and competitiveness, and lowers our reliance on imported fossil fuels," Barroso said.
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