EUROPEAN COUNCIL

Brussels, 6 March 2014

SN 22/2/14 REV 2

State e!t "# the $ea%s "# State "r &"'er! e!t "! U(ra)!e 1. We met today with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk who informed us about the situation in his country. We applaud the courage and resilience shown by the Ukrainian people these last months and weeks. 2. We endorse the conclusions adopted by the Council on 3 March. We strongly condemn the unpro oked iolation of Ukrainian so ereignty and territorial integrity by the !ussian "ederation and call on the !ussian "ederation to immediately withdraw its armed forces to the areas of their permanent stationing# in accordance with the rele ant agreements. We call on the !ussian "ederation to enable immediate access for international monitors. $he solution to the crisis in Ukraine must be based on the territorial integrity# so ereignty and independence of Ukraine# as well as the strict adherence to international standards. We consider that the decision by the %upreme Council of the Autonomous !epublic of Crimea to hold a referendum on the future status of the territory is contrary to the Ukrainian Constitution and therefore illegal.

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$he +uropean Union has important relations with Ukraine and the !ussian "ederation and stands ready to engage in a frank and open dialogue with them. -t has a special responsibility for peace# stability and prosperity in +urope. We will pursue these ob.ecti es using all a ailable channels and ask the +U representati es to take all necessary initiati es. $he +uropean Union will also participate in the multilateral mechanism /contact(coordination group0 being prepared to deescalate the situation which should ha e as its ob.ecti es inter alia to build confidence between the parties# watch o er the territorial integrity and so ereignty of the country# protect all citi1ens against intimidations# watch o er the rights of minorities# help to prepare free and fair elections# and monitor implementation of agreements and commitments.

4.

$he +uropean Union2s and the !ussian "ederation2s common ob.ecti e of a relationship based on mutual interest and respect of international obligations needs to be promptly restored. -t would be a matter of great regret if the !ussian "ederation failed to work in that direction# and in particular if it continued to refuse to participate in a producti e dialogue with the 3o ernment of Ukraine. We ha e today decided to take actions# including those en isaged by the Council on 3 March# notably to suspend bilateral talks with the !ussian "ederation on isa matters as well as talks with the !ussian "ederation on the &ew Agreement. We support the decision of the +uropean Members of the 34 and the +U institutions to suspend their participation in 34 %ummit preparations until further notice.

5.

$he solution to the crisis should be found through negotiations between the 3o ernments of Ukraine and the !ussian "ederation# including through potential multilateral mechanisms. %uch negotiations need to start within the ne5t few days and produce results within a limited timeframe. -n the absence of such results the +uropean Union will decide on additional measures# such as tra el bans# asset free1es and the cancellation of the +U6!ussia summit. $he Commission and the ++A% will take forward preparatory work on these measures. Any further steps by the !ussian "ederation to destabilise the situation in Ukraine would lead to se ere and far reaching conse7uences for relations between the +uropean Union and its Member %tates# on the one hand# and the !ussian "ederation# on the other hand# which will include a broad range of economic areas.

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$he +uropean Union commends the measured response shown so far by the new Ukrainian go ernment. We encourage the Ukrainian authorities# through an inclusi e process# to pursue their efforts to ensure free and fair elections# to ad ance constitutional reform and to in estigate all acts of iolence. +fforts should continue to reach out to all Ukrainian regions and population groups and to ensure full protection of the rights of people belonging to national minorities# drawing on the e5pertise of the Council of +urope and the 8%C+.

7.

We stand by Ukraine and commit to pro ide it with strong financial backing. We welcome the presentation of the comprehensi e assistance package by the Commission and task all rele ant Council bodies to process it rapidly. -M" support will be critical to unlocking assistance from the +uropean Union. $he immediate priority is to restore macroeconomic stability through sound fiscal# monetary and e5change rate policies. At the same time# we call on the go ernment to launch urgently an ambitious set of structural reforms# including to fight corruption# enhance transparency. We welcome the Council decision to free1e and reco er assets of persons identified as responsible for the misappropriation of %tate funds. We are also prepared to respond immediately to humanitarian assistance re7uests.

8.

$he +uropean Union and Ukraine ha e already taken an important step in deepening our relation by the initialling of the Association Agreement# including a 9eep and Comprehensi e "ree $rade Area. We reiterate the +uropean Union2s commitment to signing the Association Agreement# including a 9eep and Comprehensi e "ree $rade Area. As a matter of priority# we will sign ery shortly all the political chapters. $he +uropean Union intends to adopt unilateral measures which would allow Ukraine to benefit substantially from the ad antages offered in the 9eep and Comprehensi e "ree $rade Area. %uch measures would entail an offer to apply pro isions related to the import of goods by reducing tariffs and opening tariff rate 7uotas by so called autonomous trade measures.

9.

$he +uropean Union reiterates its commitment to enhance people to people contacts between the citi1ens of the +uropean Union and Ukraine# i.a. through the isa liberalisation process# in line with agreed conditions in the framework of the ,isa :iberalisation Action Plan.

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+nergy and energy security are an important part of the Union2s e5ternal relations. We will continue our efforts to ensure security of supply. We also call for the effecti e and consistent implementation of the $hird +nergy Package by all players in the +uropean energy market. $he +uropean Union also stands ready to assist Ukraine in securing its energy supply through further di ersification# enhanced energy efficiency# and effecti e interconnections with the +uropean Union.

11.

$he +uropean Union e5presses its ob.ecti e to further strengthen the political association and economic integration with 3eorgia and the !epublic of Moldo a. We confirm our aim to sign the Association Agreements# including the 9eep and Comprehensi e "ree $rade Areas# which we initialled in ,ilnius last &o ember# no later than at the end of August ';)*.

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