RIA Novosti: Kiev Receives Russia’s Risk Assessment of Ukraine’s EU Association

BRUSSELS, July 23 (RIA Novosti) – Kiev received Moscow’s list of potential risks that Ukraine’s association with the European Union could present to Russia’s economy, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told journalists.

“Just yesterday, we received Russia’s perception of the potential risks,” Klimkin said on Tuesday.

Ukraine signed the agreement on its association with the EU on June 27. Russia voiced concern over the economic loss the new association would present for it by triggering an uncontrolled flow of duty-free goods.

European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht recognized the possibility of trade complications between Russia and Ukraine as he met with Russia’s Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev and Ukraine’s Klimkin in Brussels earlier this month.

The three agreed that Russia would prepare the list of concerns by July 20 and present it to experts, who would then analyze the risks by September 1. The ministers are expected to address the issues at their next meeting on September 12.

If Kiev ratifies the document by late September, the association agreement may go into effect by November 1 – the deadline for canceling many EU duties for Ukrainian goods, a high-ranking EU source said earlier this month. In the final step, the European Parliament and all EU member states would have to ratify the agreement.