Sweden to back Ukraine on way toward EU membership - Foreign Minister Billstrom

MOSCOW. Jan 12 (Interfax) - The Swedish presidency of the Council of the European Union will support Ukraine's further integration with the EU, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said.

Asked by Ukrainian media at a press conference in Stockholm on Wednesday whether negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU could begin this year, Billstrom said the accession process should go step by step; the European Commission is supposed to submit a report on progress Ukraine is making as an EU candidate country in complying with membership criteria, after which the Council of the EU will review this progress, while the Swedish presidency's role is to promote this process.

The EU will continue to support Ukraine on its path toward EU membership, Billstrom said.

An update regarding Ukraine's, Georgia's, and Moldova's efforts in pursuing the necessary reforms will be presented in spring, he said.