Ukraine’s agricultural and industrial potential should not be perceived as a threat to the European single market, Deputy PM for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna said during a discussion at the European Policy Center (EPC) in Brussels, the Ukinform news agency wrote on Sept. 17.
The potential should be used for the benefit of the entire European Union.
She mentioned that Ukraine has studied the experience of neighboring countries that joined the EU and is aware of the struggles they faced in establishing their share of the common market.
“And now there is another powerful player on the market… The good news is that we know about it, and this is good material to work with,” she said, adding that Ukraine is not currently using “conventional” economic instruments to deal with this situation.
Stefanishyna acknowledged Ukraine’s significant potential in areas such as agriculture and shipbuilding, but noted that this potential cannot be fully realized in the midst of the ongoing war. At the same time, “it is hard to imagine that certain contradictions in the EU market could put more pressure on the Ukrainian economy than Russian aggression.”
“The war and the Black Sea blockade (by Russia) have shown how important Ukraine is for global food security. And it is a huge geopolitical asset for the European Union. So we should focus on that influence and develop it, not try to reduce it. Because it really is a huge geopolitical tool for the EU in the global dimension,” she said.
“I think anything that serves that purpose should be developed. The new European Commission should develop its own policy in this regard. I hope this is the narrative that really works to the benefit of both sides.“
This follows a statement by Ukraine’s PM Denys Shmyhal on Sept. 10 that Kyiv plans to be fully prepared for European Union membership by the end of 2025.
