EU Offers Ukraine “Enhanced Cooperation"

The European Union announced yesterday that it was ready to offer Ukraine a new enhanced cooperation agreement that would put the country on the fast track to joining a free trade zone with the EU. Talks on the new bilateral agreement are scheduled to begin February 6. Nick Piazza: The new agreement stops short of offering Ukraine eventual membership in the EU, and is said to be a compromise between newer EU members, led by Poland who are pushing for Ukraine to be offered membership and France which wants to put the brakes on EU expansion.  The establishment of a free trade zone is likely to go hand in hand with Ukraine’s ascension to the WTO, expected this summer.