What does Ukraine think about Europe? And why?

For this edition of our lecture series 'Europe seen from the Outside', we speak with Hanna Hopko, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament. 

Guests

  • Hanna Hopko, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament
  • Marieluise Beck, MP, Spokesperson for Eastern European affairs of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
  • Gustav Gressel, ECFR Senior Policy Fellow in the Wider Europe Programme

Chaired by

Matthew Karnitschnig, POLITICO's Chief Europe Correspondent

We are excited to invite you to the upcoming event in our lecture series Europe seen from the Outside:

 

Presentation and Discussion

“What does Ukraine think about Europe? And why?”
with Hanna Hopko

on Monday, June 19th 2017
from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
at Quadriga Forum, Werderscher Markt 13, 10117 Berlin

For the EU, Ukraine is a priority partner within the Eastern Partnership. The EU has been unwavering in its support for Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty, striving towards the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. The Association Agreement seeks to deepen political and economic ties and as such constitutes the main tool for bringing the EU and Ukraine closer together. At the EU-Ukraine summit in November 2016, President Donald Tusk expressed his satisfaction with this Eastern partner: “We highly rate the efforts of the Ukrainian authorities (…) to implement large-scale reforms in extremely difficult conditions.” However, the EU and its members push for continued efforts of the Ukrainian leadership.

But let’s turn the tables: What do Ukrainians think about Europe and the EU – and why? What is the situation like in the country? What is the state of implementation of the 2014 reforms? How much leverage does the EU have? What does Ukraine expect from the EU and its members? To what extent did the Ukrainian population turn to be more Eurosceptic in the aftermath of the Dutch Referendum, and delays and differences of opinion over Minsk? And what should be, from the Ukrainian perspective, the next flagship project in EU-Ukrainian relations?

We are honored to welcome Hanna Hopko, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament. Following her presentation, Matthew Karnitschnig (Chief Europe Correspondent with Politico) will moderate the discussion with Marieluise Beck MP (Spokesperson for Eastern European affairs of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), and Gustav Gressel (ECFR Senior Policy Fellow in the Wider Europe Programme).

The event will be held in English. Following the presentation and discussion, we invite you to join us for a reception.

 

After discussions on Russia, the Maghreb, Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel and India we continue the lecture series Europe seen from the Outside. Together with Stiftung Mercator the series offers a different perspective on the European Union to widen our understanding of the EU’s foreign policy.