Baltic states leaders urge EU to start Ukraine's accession negotiations
Category
Politics
Publication date

Baltic states leaders urge EU to start Ukraine's accession negotiations

Office of the President of Estonia
Baltic Presidents

The Presidents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Alar Karis, Edgars Rinkevičs and Gitanas Nauseda made a joint statement on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the accession of the Baltic States to the European Union. They called on the bloc to start negotiations on the accession of Ukraine.

Statement of Baltic presidents regarding starting negotiations about Ukraine's accession to the EU

A statement published on the Estonian President's website emphasises the importance of EU membership for the three countries' welfare, security, and economic growth.

They also believe that negotiations on Ukraine and Moldova's accession to the EU should start in June.

In 1990-1991, democratic choice was put to the test in the Baltic States. Currently, Ukrainians, Moldovans and Georgians are fighting for European values and the European family as their final choice. We firmly stand in support of those countries that share European values and the will to be together, the statement reads.

The heads of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania called on the European Union to start negotiations to join the bloc with Ukraine and Moldova.

The Baltic States are a great example of how EU membership stimulates modernisation and economic progress. This is our reality, which we want to share, added the presidents of the three states.

Accession of Ukraine to the EU: what is known

In June 2022, the European Council granted Ukraine the status of a candidate for the EU. For further steps, Ukraine should implement the following reforms:

  • reform of the Constitutional Court;

  • continuation of judicial reform;

  • anti-corruption, appointment of the head of the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office;

  • countering money laundering;

  • implementation of the anti-oligarchic law;

  • harmonisation of audiovisual legislation with European legislation;

  • change in legislation on national minorities.

In November 2023, the European Commission recommended that the Eurocouncil start negotiations on Ukraine and Moldova's accession.

In March 2024, the European Commission prepared a negotiating framework for the membership of Ukraine and Moldova.

Category
Economics
Publication date

Ukraine also hit by Trump's new tariffs

Yulia Svyridenko
Ukrainian steel hit by Trump tariffs

On February 10, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order revoking Ukraine's temporary exemption from tariffs on steel imports and steel products. Official Kyiv will actively seek a way out of the current situation.

Points of attention

  • Trump's decision could significantly affect Ukraine's metallurgical industry.
  • The Ministry of Economy is actively working to find the optimal solution to maintain the competitiveness of Ukrainian steel on the global market.

Ukrainian steel hit by Trump tariffs

The First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, made a statement on this occasion.

According to her, Ukraine will continue to actively work with partners to find the optimal solution for the metallurgical industry before the tariffs introduced by the United States come into effect.

What is important to understand is that from March 12, 2025, all previous exemptions for Ukraine regarding the import of steel and steel derivatives will be abolished.

Starting from this date, a 25% tariff will apply to Ukraine, as to all other countries.

According to Donald Trump himself, the abolition of tariffs on Ukrainian steel benefited not Ukrainian, but European producers.

The document also states that imports from Ukraine remained at 0.5% of total US imports, while imports from the EU increased from 11.2% to 14.8%.

According to Yulia Svyrydenko, the Ministry did everything possible "to ensure that Ukrainian steel remained outside the 25% tariffs in the US."

The US decision to impose tariffs on our steel on March 12 will naturally affect the metallurgical industry, which has suffered from Russian aggression.

Yulia Svyrydenko

Yulia Svyrydenko

First Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Economy

She also emphasized that she is ready to actively work with partners to find the optimal solution by March 12.

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