Italy, always in the vanguard of European integration for Ukraine, welcomes the European Commission’s recommendations to begin negotiations with Ukraine for its accession to the European Union. This was stated by Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Foreign Minister, in an interview with RBC Ukraine published on 8 December.
The Commission’s recommendations include the initiation of a dialogue between Ukraine and the EU, which will involve current and potential topics of trade and foreign policy. Furthermore, the Commission proposed to start the ratification process of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, in order to further reinforce bilateral relations.
Notably, Italy has been a strong advocate of Ukrainian integration into Europe ever since the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution. In fact, Italy was the first country to recognise the new Ukrainian government shortly after the 2014 revolution.
Italy’s support for Ukraine’s European integration has been consistently strong, and the Italian government has repeatedly stressed the importance of economic cooperation between the two countries. Italy has actively supported the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and has been a leader in providing financial assistance to Ukraine since 2014.
Additionally, Italy has made a number of investments in Ukraine, including the acquisition of Ukrainian banks and insurance companies and the construction of an Italian-language educational centre in Kyiv. Moreover, Italian companies have invested in agriculture, construction, industrial equipment, and telecommunications in Ukraine, thus reinforcing economic ties.
Italy’s support for Ukraine’s European integration and its commitment to the development of bilateral economic ties is both significant and highly appreciated. As Antonio Tajani stated in his interview, Italy is ready to make its own contribution to the process of bringing Ukraine closer to the EU. Italy’s long-term commitment to Ukraine’s European integration is a reflection of its strong belief in the importance and necessity of the cooperation between the two countries.
