The chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, Volodymyr Rybak, has told the European Parliament's observation mission of former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and former European Parliament President Pat Cox that Ukraine has no alternative to its European integration course.

"I'd like to assure you that the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU at the third Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius on November 29 is a key priority of Ukraine's foreign policy. In connection with this, I should say that there is no plan B, Ukraine is moving towards European integration and there's no alternative to this process," Rybak said at a meeting with the observers in Kyiv on Thursday, according to the parliament's press service.

He also said that the Ukrainian government and parliamentarians highly appreciate the mission's work. Rybak also said that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych personally controls the parliament's work on the European integration bills that are yet to be passed. He noted that the Ukrainian parliament is yet to pass three bills – on public prosecution, on reform of the election system, and on treatment of convicts abroad.

In turn, Cox said that the mission will present its report to the EP on November 14 and then the document will be passed for consideration to the Council of the European Union scheduled for November 18.