Zelensky hails EU's decision to suspend restrictions on Ukrainian imports for another year

MOSCOW. May 26 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has welcomed the decision adopted by the Council of the European Union to "extend trade liberalization for Ukrainian products for another year."

"It is actually the complete abolition of duties and quotas until June 2024. And this is a new stage in the sectoral integration of our economy - of Ukraine and the entire European Union - that will definitely make all of us in Europe stronger. As we move toward the European Union, we should make this liberalization, which is still temporary, permanent without any exceptions and restrictions, as, in fact, it should be - in line with the spirit of the united and free Europe without barriers," Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying in a video address on Thursday.

"I thank our European partners for this decision. We ought to realize that even after that there is a risk that individual restrictions may persist," he said.

Zelensky also said he is confident that "we will be able to find a solution, including for farmers in Ukraine and some other neighboring countries, that will match our common European interests and standards."

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has also welcomed the decision of the Council of the EU to suspend all tariffs and other restrictions on trade with Ukraine for a further year.

"This decision is an important practical manifestation of the EU's support for Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement circulated on Friday.

The ministry is convinced that "any exemptions and restrictions do not match either the spirit of the EU's close partnership with Ukraine as a candidate for accession to the EU or the letter of the Association Agreement and the founding treaties of the EU."

The restrictions on the export of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed that were imposed by the European Commission on May 2 under pressure from certain EU countries are groundless, harm Ukrainian producers and weaken the Ukrainian economy, it said.

"We expect that these restrictions, which are valid until June 5 of this year, will not be extended beyond this date and will be fully lifted. Otherwise, we will view this continuation of trade restrictions as an example of double standards, which will only serve to undermine EU-Ukraine solidarity and will demonstrate the inability of EU institutions to enforce the norms of the EU's founding treaties and of the Association Agreement," the ministry said. 

The ministry called on the EU member countries that stand behind an attempt to extend these restrictions to refrain from this step and to make their choice in favor of a solution that would be in line with the single market principles, the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and World Trade Organization standards.