EP Committee on Foreign Affairs Will Meet with Foreign Minister of Ukraine

Ukraine will be coming up on the agenda of the Committee on Foreign Affairs several times in the coming days. On Monday 27th May, the Committee will hold an exchange of views with M. Leonid Kozhara, Foreign Minister of Ukraine. "We want  to assess the progress made by his country in complying with benchmarks established by the European Parliament and the Council last December, also in view of the Eastern Partnership's Summit, which will take place in Vilnius next November" stated Mr Elmar Brok, chair of the committee, yesterday. 

Before this exchange of views, the Committee will hold on Thursday 23rd May, in Strasbourg, a hearing on the recent political developments in the presence of representatives from the two major opposition parties, Batkivschyna and UDAR, and two experts with undisputable knowledge of the country, M.Thomas Markert, Secretary of the Venice Commission, and M.Mikael Lyngbo from the Danish Helsinki Committee. 

The two leaders of Batkivschyna and UDAR, Mr Yatsenyuk and Mr Klychko, were foreseen to take part in the debate and had already provisionally confirmed their presence. 

Unfortunately, their participation had to be cancelled, due to a change of the agenda of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada for the very same date. They now have to stay in Kyiv and will be replaced by other prominent members of their respective parties. "Strangely enough, the change in the agenda of the Rada was decided suddenly after the hearing had been publicised" commented Mr Brok. "However, I am sure that this hearing will provide our members with political insight into and expert analysis of the real situation in Ukraine. Furthermore Mr Yatsenyuk and Mr Klychko have agreed to come and address our committee as soon as possible".

Originally published on European Parliament AFET homepage.

Photo by dadaev.