Lytvyn: Main thing in initialing association agreement not to 'burn out' by Ukraine-EU summit

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn has said that he does not share the European Parliament's view that Russia significantly influences Ukraine.

"As for the provision [of the European Parliament's resolution] on Russia's influence on Ukraine's relations with the EU, I believe that each sides acts in accordance with its national interests and can influence those who succumb to influence or those who would like them to be influenced," he said at a press briefing on Friday after meeting with Polish Sejm Marshal Bogdan Borusewicz.

"Everyone just needs to do his job. I don't see any big threats here," he said.

Lytvyn said that the problems linked to the initialing and signing of the association agreement at the upcoming Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv on December 19 should be addressed as they crop up.

"If we 'warm up' each other before December 19 without stopping, it's necessary to ensure that none of the parties 'overheat,' and the main thing here, like in sports, is not to burn out," he said, adding that all of the parties should understand the importance of the summit on December 19 and give answers to "simple but very important questions."

"There [will be] the initialing, but what next? It's necessary to clearly decide, how, when and according to what schedule this agreement will be ratified. I think that neither Ukraine nor the EU needs [to know] the process itself, but there should be a clear position on the destination," the speaker said.

Borusewicz, in turn, said that the Polish side was doing everything it could to ensure that the EU-Ukraine association agreement is initialed in Kyiv on December 19.

He recalled that the initialing would be followed by the ratification of the agreement.

"Poland's position is that we are support the speedy initialing of this agreement, and later it will be possible to have discussions thanks to the ratification process," Borusewicz said.

He noted that discussions on this subject were continuing in the EU and that some EU member states supported the initialing and the ratification of the association agreement with Ukraine, while others had criticized the agreement.

"We'll see what actually happens on December 19, but the Polish proposal is to realize the initialing of the agreement," he said.

The Polish speaker also noted that there was a problem that causes constant discussions - the detention of former Ukrainian Prime Minister and Batkivschyna Party Yulia Tymoshenko.