Publication

IWP has published an analytical paper “A Call for the EU — Time to Step in. Ukraine’s Expectations from the European Union”The official presentation of the analytical paper was held at the discussion “Window of opportunity: What does the EU expect from Ukraine and Ukraine from the EU?” on March, 12th.

This publication is an attempt to summarize the main expectations of Ukrainian civil society from the EU in the most critical period of Ukraine’s history.

In general, expectations of Ukrainians from the EU can be divided into four categories: the most prompt signing of the Association Agreement, lifting visa regime, financial aid and provision of a clear membership perspective. The Euromaidan’s events and the Russian intervention in Ukraine added to this list one more important expectation: introducing focused sanctions by the EU – at first against the Ukrainian leadership, and, since the beginning of the Russian aggression, also against the Russian establishment. Implementation of, at least, a part of them is considered in the Ukrainian public discourse as a kind of the EU’s moral obligation to millions of Ukrainians who took to the streets to make European values in Ukraine real.
The EU’s indecision and vagueness of statements in the past have already led to a strong disappointment and an increase of isolationist sentiments in the Ukrainian society. To overcome them not only positive signals (as the signing of the political part of the Agreement) are required, but also a better established communication from the EU’s side with the Ukrainian society.

This policy paper was conducted by IWP as part of its project New European Policy implemented under Ukraine National Initiatives to Enhance Reforms (UNITER) program, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact Inc. The current report is also part of the project ”Romania — Ukraine Civic Forum” — implemented together by the IWP in Kyiv and the Romanian Center for European Policies in Bucharest with the support of UNDP and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania.

The full text of the Policy Brief in Ukrainian and English is here.

The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, Pact Inc. or the United States Government.