Conflicts to Watch in The New Millennium

that Ukraine wanted to sign an association agreement with the EU by 2003–2004 and
that his country would meet all EU membership requirements by 2007–2011.
Post-Orange Revolution Relations
The Orange Revolution of late 2004 improved Ukraine's European prospects; the
opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko hinted that he would press the EU for deeper ties
and described a four-point plan: acknowledgment of Ukraine as a market economy,
entry in the World Trade Organization, associate membership in the European Union,
and, finally, full membership. [13] Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko
asked Brussels mid-December 2004 for a clearer indication of Ukraine's prospects for
membership, saying that "The approved Action Plan reflects only the level of Ukraine-
EU relations that we could have reached before the presidential elections in 2004."
On 13 January 2005, the European Parliament almost unanimously (467 votes to 19 in
favour) passed a motion stating the wish of the European Parliament to establish closer
ties with Ukraine in view of the possibility of EU membership. Though there is still a long
way to go before negotiations about EU membership can start, the European
Commission has stated that future EU membership will not be ruled out. Yushchenko
has responded to the apathetic mood of the Commission by stating that he intends to
send an application for EU membership "in the near future" and that he intends to
scrutinize Ukraine's relationship with the Commonwealth of Independent States in order
to assure that EU integration is possible, and, if not, to make it possible. Several EU
leaders have already stated strong support for closer economic ties with Ukraine, but
have stopped short of direct support for such a bid.
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