Ukraine congratulates the Polish Side upon the beginning of the first ever Polish Presidency in the European Union since Poland became an EU member in 2004.

Poland takes over EU Council Presidency in the critical juncture of internal reforms in terms of economic governance and further transition to new institutional order introduced by the Lisbon Treaty. Ukraine believes that Poland has all the necessary capacity and ambition to deliver on its priorities and turn the next six months into success.

Bearing in mind relations of strategic partnership and close friendship between Poland and Ukraine it is expected that this historical Presidency of Poland in the EU will be marked by equally historical and important achievements in Ukraine – EU relations.

Ukraine and the European Union remain committed to ambitious goals of finalizing negotiations on the Association Agreement which in particular will provide for establishing Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area as well as moving to the last phase of implementation of the Action Plan on visa liberalization for Ukraine.

Relevant decisions should become the main deliverables of the Fifteenth Ukraine – EU Summit in December in Kyiv. These arrangements will represent a real decoration of the 20th year of Ukraine’s independence as well as prove irreversibility of Ukraine’s integration into the EU.

The Second Eastern Partnership Summit in September is another important event to be held under the Polish Presidency. Ukraine expects that due to Polish leadership the Summit will be able to provide powerful political signals on the European perspective of advanced Partner States as well as incentives to ever deeper relations between them and the European Union.