Event Report: Ruehe and Brzezinski Discuss the Future of Ukraine
The U.S.-EU Partnership Committee for Ukraine met on May 14, 2007 in Berlin at a meeting jointly hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). Co-chairing this event were former German Defence Minster Volker Ruehe and CSIS Counselor and Trustee Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski. Among the participants were former Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek and Visiting Associate Professor at Georgetown University and CSIS Senior Associate Celeste Wallander.
Welcoming Ukrainian efforts to solve the current political crisis, the Committee urged the country’s leaders to rapidly work out the political and legal problems the country is facing.
US and European leaders were reminded that a stable and independent, democratic and market-oriented Ukraine is in their own best interest. European-Ukrainian security and energy cooperation were deemed especially important. Also, promoting relations with Ukraine was considered helpful to steer Russia in the desired direction.
The Committee stressed further integration of Ukraine within the European Community, as well as within the Euro-Atlantic network, such as through cooperation with NATO.
Niklas Keller
