EU leaders pressed Ukraine on Friday to work for political stability and sought assurances of uninterrupted energy supplies to the European Union over the winter, REPORTED REUTERS. EU and Ukrainian leaders were meeting at a summit in Finland to discuss closer ties, with energy and trade in focus and the sides set to sign a deal to make it easier for Ukrainians to get EU visas. The delegation from Kiev, led by President Viktor Yushchenko, was seeking EU support for its bid for rapid membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a key step on the road to a new pact with the European bloc. And high on the EU's agenda is its concern at months of political turmoil in Ukraine. It also expects pro-Western Yushchenko to reiterate assurances given last month on the security of Russian gas flows to Europe. EU states were alarmed last winter by a brief cut in supplies of natural gas, sparked by a pricing row between Ukraine and Russia, Europe's biggest supplier. The two ex-Soviet states reached a pricing deal this month and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said this should mean no repeat of January's disruptions. "I think they (Ukraine) themselves have secured their own gas reserves," she told Reuters in an interview. "I think we will get the same reiteration of guarantees we already had." The EU hopes to start talks early in 2007 on an enhanced agreement with Ukraine to replace a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement expiring at the end of next year. A free trade pact is central to this, but requires Ukraine's WTO accession. Yushchenko said on Thursday his country aimed to complete legislation to allow it to join the WTO this year, and that he wanted EU support for its goal. He also said Kiev was aiming for integration with the European Union, though the European Commission has repeatedly said while it wants to increase ties, membership is not currently a prospect. Yushchenko's West-leaning ambitions have been a source of irritation for Russia. The European leaders, including Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, representing the EU presidency, and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, were expected to stress the importance of political stability. Four ministers from Yushchenko's party quit last week after talks collapsed on a coalition with Moscow-leaning Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich. "It is a particularly difficult time for the process of democratic consolidation and the overall reform process in Ukraine," Ferrero-Waldner said. "Political stability will be one of the key priorities that President Yushchenko has to find." That would help in reforming the judiciary and improving the business climate for foreign investors, she said.
