During the first winter AUK Talks with Baroness Catherine Ashton, the former Vice President of the European Commission and former High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy we discussed the EU role in global affairs and Ukraine's path toward the EU. While answering the question on the homework which Ukraine should done after its victory over russia in order to enter the EU, Lady Ashton outlined:
"A lot of work will be related to economic reform, it is about creating the right systems, implementing the rule of law, changes to the judicial system, adopting laws and ways of working. In a sense it is about creating an environment, when the European is travelling through the EU countries and senses that despite possessing different cultures, they have similar values: justice system, single market, the economic ability to trade and so on.
And all the countries that during the last 5-10 years entered the EU have described it as a really challenging process. It takes time. The good news is that EU helps, thought a lot of experts coming to help. But most importantly it needs money. And in this respect the EU has substantial amounts to help. All these processes are difficult and time-consuming, but they are worth it."
We are highly thankful to Lady Ashton for her insights on the critically important role played by the EU worldwide, as well as to Mark Voyger, AUK Program Director for the MSc in Global Management program for organizing and moderating this meeting.
Dnipro
