Ukraine, Poland reach trade, security agreements

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko reached numerous agreements with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who visited Kyiv on Dec. 15. Poland agreed to offer Ukraine a USD 1 bln currency swap with the goal of boosting trade upon the Jan. 1 launch of the Ukraine-EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. “Implementing the free trade area with a swap will provide additional opportunities” for Polish and Ukrainian business, Poroshenko said.

Poland also agreed to offer consultations to the Ukrainian government and business for the free trade area’s launch, as well as offering the Polish market as a springboard from which to promote Ukrainian products on the European market, Poroshenko said at a joint press conference with Duda. They relaunched a presidential consultation committee to discuss new projects and initiatives, as well as issues of regional security and defense, he said. Poroshenko thanked Duda for Poland being the leader in offering Schengen visas to Ukrainian citizens.

Ukraine is also preparing to buy up to 8 bcm of natural gas from Poland after the completion of an interconnector between the gas transit systems of both countries, said Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine. “If it’s built, it will transport a lot of gas,” he said. “We will buy a lot of this gas, up to 8 bcm. And together we will be more profitable and more energy independent.” They also considered a project to supply electricity to Poland from the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine.

Poland will no longer demand to be a participant in the Normandy format talks to implement the Minsk accords, Duda told the Dec. 15 press conference. At the same time, Poland will advocate for Ukraine to “have a seat at the table” at the next NATO summit in Warsaw, Duda said. They discussed the possible participation of Ukrainian soldiers in training sessions on Polish territory that will be held next year. Poland and Ukraine will also open new border crossings, which will include a EUR 100 mln loan by Poland to Ukraine to improve border infrastructure and establish new crossings.

Zenon Zawada: The Dec. 15 meetings between Polish and Ukrainian leaders proved to be a diplomatic success for the Ukrainian side, which hasn’t had many in recent months. This developing relationship between Poland and Ukraine will be crucial in Ukraine’s attempt in the next two years to withstand Russian aggression.