Latest news with #OlhaStefanishyna
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU market remains open to Ukrainian goods, says Ukraine's minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration
Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Justice Minister, has stated that the European market remains open to Ukrainian goods and that there are currently no plans to suspend the EU-Ukraine free trade regime. Source: Stefanishyna in a comment to European Pravda following her visit to Brussels Details: Stefanishyna said that during the visit, a substantive dialogue began on finding a long-term solution in the field of trade. As reported earlier, on 22 May the European Commission adopted a list of transitional measures regarding Ukrainian exports to the EU. These will come into force on 6 June 2025, once the current autonomous trade measures for Ukraine – known as the "trade visa-free regime" – expire. Stefanishyna explained that this is an interim solution which will help avoid the worst-case scenario and achieve a sustainable resolution within the framework of the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement. Quote: "There is no talk of suspending free trade: the EU market remains open to Ukrainian goods. We have agreed to work quickly and constructively towards a long-term solution." More details: Stefanishyna noted that the EU understands how critical it is for Ukraine, during wartime, to have predictable and transparent trade conditions and the importance of agricultural exports for the country's economic stability. "There is clear political will to find a balanced solution by the end of July 2025," she stated. Background: As European Pravda reported back in late April, the European Commission does not plan to extend the "trade visa-free regime", which remains in effect until 5 June. However, it will ensure a smooth transition to a new scheme, under which all trade liberalisation terms will be enshrined in the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement. It is worth noting that the European Parliament has voted to introduce a preferential regime for the export of steel and iron from Ukraine starting from 6 June 2025. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's deputy PM for EU integration outlines next steps for opening first EU negotiation cluster
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has outlined the next steps on Kyiv's path to EU membership after the country completed internal procedures needed to open the first cluster in accession negotiations. Source: European Pravda, citing the communications team of Stefanishyna's office Details: On 14 May, the Ukrainian government reportedly approved roadmaps required to open the first negotiation cluster between Ukraine and the EU, thus completing all domestic procedures for its launch. Stefanishyna noted the next step will be to submit these roadmaps to the European Commission and EU member states for their approval. She explained that the roadmaps are comprehensive plans outlining specific steps Ukraine intends to take "to join the European Union as a strong and capable member state". The approved roadmaps are synchronised with Ukraine's international commitments as well as its strategic and policy documents. Background: Hungary has still not lifted its veto on the formal opening of Ukraine's EU accession talks. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged in Lviv that the EU is preparing a Plan B due to Hungary's opposition. Bloomberg has reported that the EU is discussing ways to prevent Hungary from blocking the actual start of accession negotiations with Ukraine. Read more on Hungary's intentions: Orbán sidelines Ukraine, helps Moldova. What might happen to Kyiv's EU dream with Hungary's veto Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's government still hopes to open first EU accession cluster by July
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, believes that Ukraine will be able to open at least one negotiating cluster before the end of Poland's presidency of the EU Council. Source: European Pravda, citing Stefanishyna in an interview aired on the national 24/7 joint newscast on Thursday 1 May Details: During a visit to Budapest, Stefanishyna referred to the publicly confirmed agreement with the European Commission that "all negotiating clusters will be opened this year". "A great deal of work has been done by the European Commission and the Polish presidency. Unfortunately, the process has not yet been unblocked. But the Ukrainian delegation is working here [in Budapest]," she said. Stefanishyna said she is confident that the Polish presidency may still conclude with at least some of the negotiating chapters opened. Poland's six-month presidency of the EU Council ends in June 2025. Background: Ukraine and the EU Commission initially had ambitious plans for the pace of accession talks in 2025, but the process has been hindered by Hungary's veto. Recently, there have been indications that Moldova and Ukraine could be separated on their path to EU membership. Following talks in Budapest on 29 April, Ukraine and Hungary agreed to hold regular consultations to address bilateral issues. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kyiv and Budapest agree to hold consultations to unblock Ukraine's movement to EU
Ukraine and Hungary have agreed to start regular consultations to unblock negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union following talks in Budapest on 29 April. Source: European Pravda citing Interfax-Ukraine; Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Justice, on the national joint 24/7 newscast Details: Stefanishyna said that starting 12 May, "the teams that were present in Budapest today from the Ukrainian and Hungarian sides will work on a regular basis". The deputy prime minister added that the negotiation teams will work "until we determine the entire list of tasks within the eleven recommendations that are the subject of concern of the Hungarian side". Quote from Olha Stefanishyna: "We expect to work on the Hungarian side's counter-proposals throughout this week, and we expect to have interim results on 12 May... I hope that this dialogue will have every chance of paving the way for unblocking the negotiation process." More details: Olha Stefanishyna noted that during the talks in Budapest on Tuesday, the Ukrainian delegation did not hear any radical statements or negative remarks from the Hungarian side. Background: Hungary has created a number of obstacles on Ukraine's path to EU membership, effectively blocking accession negotiations. Budapest has even organised a consultative poll on Ukraine's accession to the EU. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has even publicly voted against it. European Pravda sources recently reported that if Hungary continues to block the opening of negotiation clusters for Ukraine's EU accession, Moldova, which began negotiations at the same time and is also ready to open Cluster 1, Fundamentals, may do so earlier. The EU has confirmed that it is considering possibly continuing Moldova's accession process by separating it from Ukraine, as Hungary resists negotiations with Kyiv. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine submits proposals to US on minerals agreement, Deputy PM says
Ukraine submitted a set of proposals to the U.S. during technical consultations on a key minerals agreement held in Washington on April 11, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna confirmed on April 14. "This is a positive sign in itself that consultations are taking place," she said on air on national television, emphasizing that the Kyiv-prepared proposals had been coordinated across Ukrainian ministries. Stefanishyna declined to disclose specific details, noting that negotiations are ongoing and "I expect that after these consultations, negotiations will continue until we reach an agreement." Talks over the deal have become increasingly fraught. On April 11, a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the Trump administration has advanced a "maximalist" proposal to give Washington extensive control over Ukrainian natural resources. One of the glaring issues is that the latest draft of the deal reportedly conflicts with a critical raw materials partnership signed between the EU and Kyiv in 2021, potentially harming Ukraine's ambitions to join the bloc in the future. A leaked draft of the deal drew backlash for granting disproportionate benefits to the U.S. side. A framework version of the agreement was scheduled to be signed during President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington on Feb. 28. The Ukrainian government approved the draft and designated either First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko or Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha as signatories. The plan collapsed after a tense Oval Office dispute involving Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance. Zelensky left the White House without signing the agreement. Ukraine's Justice Ministry has retained the American-British law firm Hogan Lovells to support the negotiations. Sybiha reiterated that Kyiv seeks a mutually beneficial agreement aligned with Ukraine's long-term interests and EU aspirations. Read also: Russia's Lavrov says NATO 'should have been dissolved' We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
