E.U. leaders announce enhanced relations with Ukraine, avoid criticism

Partly out of concern about repelling Ukraine, E.U.
leaders announced enhanced relations after their first meeting with President
Zelensky during the Ukraine-E.U. summit on Oct. 6 in Berlin. Under the context
of a renewed Association Agreement, the E.U. announced “the further
strengthening of economic and regulatory integration” with Ukraine in its
summary statement of the summit, as reported by the eurointegration.com.ua news
site. The main tangents of integration, which have already begun, are the
digital marketplace, environmental protection, the European Green Deal, and the
financial sphere. The clause on “strengthening economic integration” was
demanded by Ukrainian diplomats, who had been in conflict with their European
counterparts until the last minute, the report said. Rather than amending the
agreement, these integration measures were included as additions.

E.U. diplomats offered no criticism of Ukraine throughout
the summit because they “don’t want to place the dialogue under threat,” the
eurointegration.com.ua news site reported on Oct. 7, citing anonymous E.U.
politicians and diplomats. Part of the reason was that it was Zelensky’s first
meeting with E.U. leaders, which “is needed for establishing relations, not
criticism,” the report said. At the same time, the President’s Office had
demonstrated for several months that it nervously regards concerns raised from
abroad. The officials “immediately shut down” and struck a defensive pose upon
hearing criticism, the sources said. “This was apparent even visually,” one
source said.

The European Commission signed with Ukraine at their
Oct. 6 summit in Berlin three agreements amounting to EUR 60 mln in financial
aid. The Strong Regions program earmarks EUR 30 mln to local governments in
order to address problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another EUR 20 mln
is earmarked for mechanisms of developing civil society in Ukraine. And EUR 10
mln was granted to develop clean, safe and effective energy supply and usage,
the eurointegration.com.ua news site reported.

Other successes cited by the report were reassurances
of renewed visa-free travel once COVID infections decline, further steps
towards an “industrial visa-free regime,” and guarantees of renewed sanctions
against Russia. At the same time, EUR 1.2 bln in planned macrofinancial
assistance remains dependent on the Zelensky administration’s ability to
preserve the independence of the IMF-sponsored National Anti-Corruption Bureau
and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.

Zenon Zawada: Given that
Ukrainian diplomats behaved in an assertive manner at the summit (even putting
demands on their European counterparts), the President’s Office is demonstrating
its confidence that it has found the right geopolitical formula in dealing with
both the West and Russia. This formula is based on the premise that Western
leaders are so concerned about losing Ukraine (especially after this summer’s
events in Belarus) that they are willing to look the other way on the Zelensky
administration’s sins.

That wager proved true at the Oct. 6 summit in Berlin.
But such grace on behalf of the Europeans is already starting to run thin,
based on other statements and actions. Meanwhile, the report that Zelensky
administration officials (likely Andriy Yermak) can’t handle criticism shows
just how overwhelmed and incapable they are in their roles. At minimum, they
should play the standard game of accepting criticism with a smile and assuring
the Europeans they are doing everything they can to meet their expectations.

This refusal to face reality indicates Zelensky’s team
is in a certain groupthink in which its members are convinced that its policies
are justified and beyond reproach. They also think they can cover up its
shortcomings by manipulating public opinion, even demanding that phrases such as “the E.U. is not a cash machine”
be deleted from texts. This is quite disturbing, indicating the administration
is in for a rude awakening eventually. The Oct. 25 local elections should serve
as a strong signal along that path of lost public support.