Ukraine Made Geopolitical Choice in Favour of the Europe, not Russia

The president of Ukraine Victor Jushchenko offered Julia Timoshenko's nominee on a post of the prime minister. Voting takes place in the Supreme Rada a little bit later and it's unknown what will be the end. Meanwhile Ukraine was visited by the president of the neighbouring Poland Lekh Kachinsky who offered it, at last, to make final decision on its introduction into the European Union and NATO. According to the Polish president, "if we are in that part of the Europe where there is Poland and Ukraine, though Ukraine is situated more to the east, it is necessary to make a choice, if we are on the one side or different ones.

 

Kachinsky called Ukraine to be guided aside the Europe instead of Russia. As he said, "Russia, I do not estimate it, I name the facts - is and remains important political factor in this part of the Europe and the force of Russia renews. But if we are in this part of the Europe, we should make a choice to one or other part and one of these parts is the European Union". As he said as the president of Poland, Ukraine and Poland should strengthen relations in this plan: "We should day by day, hour by hour strengthen our relations, we should overcome every prejudice".

 

Lekh Kachinsky also called Ukraine to take advantage of opportunities of its military-industrial complex for introduction into NATO. In Kachinsky's opinion, "NATO has very high military standards and it's, likely, the chance for Ukraine. As once the centers of manufacture of antiaircraft defense were in Ukraine, it is necessary to take advantage of it, not speaking that Ukraine has very quite good tanks".

 

As a whole, Kachinsky declared, Poland supports introduction of Ukraine into NATO and the European Union. "Poland very hotly supports the Ukrainian way into NATO. We consider that it's fully reasonable but, of course, the decision should be made by the Ukrainian people," - he said.

 

Under Kachinsky's statement, Poland also supports introduction of Ukraine into EU: "We are convinced that Ukraine will be both in EU and in NATO". In opinion of the head of the Ukrainian editorial board of FORUM.msk political scientist Vladimir Filin, "opinion of the president of brotherly Poland concerning euroAtlantic integration of our country is consonant to the Ukrainian management". "Ukraine has already made choice between Russia and the Europe in favour of the Europe", - the political scientist considers.

 

In his opinion, disagreements between Ukraine and Russia on gas became one of the most important arguments in favour of such choice. "For last two years the price for the Russian gas for our country has grown more than twice. Thus, that is interesting, the rates of industrial growth in Ukraine remain higher than in Russia even despite lacking of oil and gas and surplus of petrodollars in Russia", - Vladimir Filin speaks.

 

"In the nearest two-three years we are awaited by further increase of prices for gas till the time they will reach the European level. It will not touch housing and public utilities as the Ukrainian gas is used there, but it will touch industry. But economic growth in Ukraine will proceed all the same. Besides we shall rise the price for transit of gas through Ukraine to the Europe up to a level of Poland - 3-4 dollars for 1 cubic metre for 100 km of distance and we shall rise payment for the rent of Sevastopol by the Navy of Russia up to a world level - 2 billion dollars a year", - Vladimir Filin considers having stressed that "transfer to world prices with Russia would be just decision which would make the European choice of Ukraine fast".

 

As you know, on December, 5th Ukraine and Russia signed the contract on deliveries of gas for 2008 according to which Ukraine would receive import gas at the price of 179.5 dollars for 1000 cubic metre. The parties also agreed about increase of the rate of the tariff for transportation of gas through the territory of Ukraine and the tariff for transportation of gas on the territory of Russia for Ukraine up to 1.7 dollars from 1.6 for 1 cubic metre on 100 km of distance.

 

In the current year Ukraine buys gas at the price of 130 dollars. President Jushchenko at joint press conference with the president of Poland declared that the new price for gas for Ukraine would force the country to reduce consumption of power resources that should affect the Ukrainian economy. However, the president called the Ukrainian politicians not to speculate with that theme.

 

"The price in 179.5 dollars is a big shock for the Ukrainian economy. It compels one more time to reconsider a policy of power consumption, especially in such spheres as municipal services, private sector and part of industry", - Jushchenko said.

 

The president noted that such price force to think one more time about necessity of revision of policy on power resources consumption. "Believe me, to agree to consume annually 76 billion cubes of gas - is a norm and to spend on manufacture of gross national product 4 times more energy, than it is done by our neighbours, - is unpromising policy", - he said. The president noted that the theme of the price for gas should remain exclusively at an economic level. Making comments on Julia Timoshenko's application that she would manage to lower that price after she would become the prime-minister, Jushchenko stressed: "I would advise the Ukrainian politicians not to politicize the question of the price for gas. Such placing of a question will not bring anything but for the harm, I assure you".

 

He called all politicians to be sensitive and very cautious in this question. "I think that these people should know tendencies, first of all, of continental market and fairly care that Ukraine receives optimum price considering unique conditions, circumstances which it possesses", - the president said.

 

"Certainly, 147 dollars would be better, than 179 dollars but that is the question which should remain exclusively at economic level and not be submitted to any political speculations," - Jushchenko finished.