Translated material
Crimean idyll
Ukraine has taken another step towards Russia
Vladimir Putin’s informal visit to Crimea ended yesterday, where he spent five days in the company of the Ukrainian president. Meetings “without ties” were interspersed with relaxation in the Crimean Nature Reserve and tasting of collectible Massandra wines. Without losing vigilance under the relaxing Crimean sun, each of the presidents tried to promote a solution to “their” problems: Putin focused on the speedy creation of a single economic space under the patronage of Russia and the synchronization of energy, oil and gas policies. Kuchma sought from the Kremlin guarantees of “non-resistance” to the process of Ukraine’s entry into the WTO and asked for financial support for the joint construction project of the AN-70 aircraft.The result of joint walks was a noticeable step by Ukraine towards bilateral integration. President Kuchma, although he considers the EU “our future,” still “sees no alternative” to deepening relations with Russia and therefore agrees with the creation of a single economic space within the CIS.
The Russian president promised that joint Russian-Ukrainian projects in the fuel and energy sector would make it possible to “form a unified energy policy” with the participation of the EU, Russia, Ukraine and Asian countries. In particular, the presidents discussed the possibility of transiting Russian oil and electricity through the territory of Ukraine. “Before the fall, we could reach specific agreements on the volume of investments in the project to create a gas transport consortium,” the Russian president emphasized. However, the Crimean meeting did not bring complete clarity to the question of whether Western representatives will take full part in the gas project. The Ruhrgas company was “satisfied” with the information provided to it by the experts, Vladimir Putin said. The Russian president did not say a word about the possible participation of a fourth party, the EBRD, whose representatives will visit Ukraine on May 20.
Leonid Kuchma also did not achieve firm guarantees from the Kremlin regarding the synchronization of efforts to join the WTO. In Kyiv they are afraid that if Russia becomes a member of this organization a year earlier, it will make additional demands on Ukraine. “The process is not going as we would like,” said Leonid Kuchma. Vladimir Putin, admitting that within the CIS “there are serious differences” regarding the WTO, promised that this would not nullify “our efforts to create a single economic space.”
Leonid Kuchma also did not receive unequivocal support for the Ukrainian initiative to build the An-70. President Putin confirmed that Russia is interested in this project, but it is necessary to “decide in advance”, “who will buy this aircraft and under what conditions.” As you know, Ukraine previously relied on centralized orders from the Russian Ministry of Defense.