|
 Shortly after returning to Kiev from Brussels where he signed the
pact, Poroshenko announced on his website that Ukraine had extended
a ceasefire by government forces against pro-Russian separatist
rebels by 72 hours until 10 p.m. on Monday.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came to Brussels to sign a
far-reaching trade and political cooperation agreement with the EU
that has been at the heart of months of deadly violence and upheaval
in his country, drawing an immediate threat of "grave consequences"
from Russia.
Georgia and Moldova signed similar deals, holding out the prospect
of deep economic integration and unfettered access to the EU's 500
million citizens, but alarming Moscow, which is concerned about
losing influence over former Soviet republics.
The week-long ceasefire had been due to expire on Friday.
The extension was made, Poroshenko's website said, in line with a
Monday deadline set by EU leaders for the rebels to agree to
ceasefire verification arrangements, return border checkpoints to
Kiev authorities and free hostages including detained monitors of
the OSCE rights and security watchdog.
 "We expect progress in the next hours," German Chancellor Angela
Merkel said. "If we don't see any steps forward on any of the
points, then we are also prepared to take drastic measures."
EU leaders said they were ready to meet again at any time to adopt
significant sanctions on Russia. Diplomats said they could target
new people and companies with asset freezes as early as next week.
More than 60 names are already on the list.
Although it has drawn up a list of hard-hitting economic sanctions
against Russia, the EU is still hesitating over deploying them
because of fears among some member states of antagonizing their
major energy supplier.
"We are talking about possible sanctions against Russia but we do
not have to introduce sanctions for the sake of sanctions. We do
have a need for a dialogue. I hope this dialogue will take place and
we will have a real ceasefire," Poroshenko told a news conference in
Brussels.
Poroshenko has drawn up a 15-point peace plan to defuse the crisis
in eastern Ukraine, where hundreds of people have been killed in
clashes between security forces and pro-Russian rebels.
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have made clear that their ultimate
goal is EU entry, but Brussels, under pressure from voters weary of
further expansion, has made no promise it will allow them in.
Poroshenko and national security chiefs said that during the next 72
hours recruitment centers for Russian fighters across the border in
Russia should be closed.
Ukrainian government forces would have the right to end the
ceasefire ahead of time in any areas where ceasefire conditions were
not being implemented, Poroshenko's announcement said.
PACT REVIVED
Ukraine's former pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovich turned his
back on signing the EU agreement last November in favor of closer
ties with Moscow, prompting months of street protests that
eventually led to his fleeing the country.
Soon afterwards, Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region, drawing
outrage and sanctions from the United States and EU, and pro-Russian
separatists began an uprising in eastern Ukraine.
[to top of second column] |
"Over the last months, Ukraine paid the highest possible price to
make her European dreams come true," Poroshenko said, calling
Friday's accord the most important day for his country since
independence from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1991.
Symbolically, he signed the agreement with the same pen that had
been prepared for Yanukovich to sign the document last year.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin immediately said
the signing would have "grave consequences" for Ukraine, Interfax
news agency reported.
Poroshenko urged the EU to reward Ukraine for its sacrifices by
promising the country would be eligible for membership of the EU
once it was ready. The pledge would "cost the EU nothing but would
mean the world to my country", he said.
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said Friday's deals
were "not the final stage of our cooperation", but this fell short
of the prospect of ultimate EU membership.
Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca has also set his sights on EU
membership, saying on Thursday that he hoped his country would apply
to join in the second half of 2015.
Russia, which fought a war with Georgia in 2008, has met previous
attempts by its neighbors to move closer to the EU with trade
reprisals. EU officials fear it could happen again.
EU officials say that, in diplomatic talks, Russia has threatened to
withdraw the duty-free treatment that Ukraine currently benefits
from as a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
free trade pact.
If Russia imposed customs duties, it would put at risk some of
Ukraine's exports, which mainly consist of base metals, grains,
machinery, equipment and processed food. Ukraine sends 24 percent of
its exports to Russia, worth $15 billion a year.
Moscow fears Ukraine may re-export EU products to Russia, avoiding
duties that Russia imposes to protect its own output.
Russian energy giant Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Kiev last week
after Ukraine failed to pay its gas debts.
(Writing by Adrian Croft and Will Dunham; Additional reporting by
Gabriela Baczynska in Moscow; Editing by David Stamp, Philippa
Fletcher and Ken Wills)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
