VILNIUS, Lithuania—Tension between the European Union and Ukraine flared Friday following the country’s collapsed trade deal and alleged pressure tactics from Russia, undermining a summit that was meant to strengthen Europe’s ties with its eastern neighbors.
Georgia and Moldova gave their preliminary backing to broad trade and political accords with the European Union on Friday morning, but Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych didn’t sign his country’s EU accord, as expected.
Once in place, the Georgian and Moldovan agreements will offer the two countries broad trade access to the EU market in exchange for deep economic and political reforms at home.
However, Ukraine’s government stuck with last week’s decision to freeze preparations for the agreement. That move came after months of promises by Ukrainian officials that they were on track to sign the agreement, which was first initialed in March 2012. Mr. Yanukovych and EU leaders again said Friday they still hope to sign the deal soon but that prospect appeared slim due to widespread rancor over recent events.
At the closing news conference, the EU’s top two officials lambasted Russia for what European Council President Herman Van Rompuy called behavior “incompatible with how international relations should function on our continent in the 21st Century.”
He said the Ukrainian people, who have protested in their thousands in recent days against the government’s decision, have shown a “strong wish” for closer ties with the European Union.
“We are on the side of the Ukrainian people,” he said.
European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso said the EU couldn’t accept Mr. Yanukovych’s last-minute request for trilateral trade talks with Russia. He said the accord was negotiated between Brussels and Kiev and Europe wouldn’t give a “third country” a “possible veto.”
“The times of limited sovereignty are over in Europe,” he said.
Russia has accused the EU of pressuring Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying last week the 28-nation bloc was trying to “blackmail” Kiev into signing. Moscow has said the EU has designed trade deals that would make it impossible for its eastern neighbors to join a Russian-led Eurasian customs union. He also suggested European politicians were encouraging protests in Kiev.
But at the same time, Russia has cut trade with Ukraine and banned Moldovan wine exports, while senior Russian officials have said cheap Russian gas supplies are only for those countries that join the customs union.
Speaking alongside the EU leaders, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskait
Georgia and Moldova gave their preliminary backing to broad trade and political accords with the European Union on Friday morning, but Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych didn’t sign his country’s EU accord, as expected.
Once in place, the Georgian and Moldovan agreements will offer the two countries broad trade access to the EU market in exchange for deep economic and political reforms at home.
However, Ukraine’s government stuck with last week’s decision to freeze preparations for the agreement. That move came after months of promises by Ukrainian officials that they were on track to sign the agreement, which was first initialed in March 2012. Mr. Yanukovych and EU leaders again said Friday they still hope to sign the deal soon but that prospect appeared slim due to widespread rancor over recent events.
At the closing news conference, the EU’s top two officials lambasted Russia for what European Council President Herman Van Rompuy called behavior “incompatible with how international relations should function on our continent in the 21st Century.”
He said the Ukrainian people, who have protested in their thousands in recent days against the government’s decision, have shown a “strong wish” for closer ties with the European Union.
“We are on the side of the Ukrainian people,” he said.
European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso said the EU couldn’t accept Mr. Yanukovych’s last-minute request for trilateral trade talks with Russia. He said the accord was negotiated between Brussels and Kiev and Europe wouldn’t give a “third country” a “possible veto.”
“The times of limited sovereignty are over in Europe,” he said.
Russia has accused the EU of pressuring Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying last week the 28-nation bloc was trying to “blackmail” Kiev into signing. Moscow has said the EU has designed trade deals that would make it impossible for its eastern neighbors to join a Russian-led Eurasian customs union. He also suggested European politicians were encouraging protests in Kiev.
But at the same time, Russia has cut trade with Ukraine and banned Moldovan wine exports, while senior Russian officials have said cheap Russian gas supplies are only for those countries that join the customs union.
Speaking alongside the EU leaders, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskait