Ukraine, European Union Ready to Continue Association Agreement

Ukraine’s Economy Minister Pavlo Sheremeta said the government is prepared to work on the Association Agreement with the European Union.

“The government has cancelled the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of November 21, 2013, and is resuming work on preparations to sign the Association Agreement with the EU,” Sheremeta wrote on his page in Facebook.

Deposed president Viktor Yanukovich rejected the deal in November in favor of a $15 billion bailout from Russia. That action caused the three month protests in Independence Square in Kiev.

The European Union Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht said the EU is ready to sign the deal with Ukraine.

“If and when Ukraine is ready to sign the deal, then the European Union is ready to sign the deal. The democratic future of Ukraine is for the Ukrainian people to decide, including in respect of a future Association Agreement with the European Union,” he said.

“We will react appropriately to any request from a new inclusive government committed to political and economic reforms. Any decision will be taken by the council, taking into account the assessment of all relevant circumstances,” he said.

The agreement was proposed on March 30, 2012, but many EU nations told Yanukovych the deal included the release of political prisoner Yulia Tymoshenko. She ran for president against Yanukovych in 2010 and when he won he quickly jailed her on what many consider to be trumped up charges.

Yanukovich was overthrown on February 22 and Tymoshenko was immediately released.