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Yanukovich pledges to speed up Ukraine-EU rapprochement process

Yanukovich pledged, "These achievements will always be a solid basis for Ukraine’s development and country’s transformation in a strong, prosperous and ambitious country"

© ITAR-TASS/Maxim Nikitin

KIEV, December 01, 13:36 /ITAR-TASS/. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich pledged to do everything to speed up the rapprochement process between Ukraine and the European Union, the Ukrainian president said in a statement on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the all-Ukraine referendum for the endorsement of the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine on Sunday.

“I will do my best to accelerate the rapprochement process between Ukraine and the European Union, meanwhile, avoiding serious losses for our economy and a worse life level of people,” Yanukovich said in the statement.

“On December 1, 1991 saw the unprecedented manifestation of direct power of people that showed democratic changes in a young European country are irreversible,” the Ukrainian president said. “With the willpower of people Ukraine began developing as a full-fledged and self-sufficient subject of international relations,” the president said.

Yanukovich pledged, “These achievements will always be a solid basis for Ukraine’s development and country’s transformation in a strong, prosperous and ambitious country.” “There is no such power in the world that would shake the determination of the Ukrainians to live freely on their homeland,” he noted. “Ukraine has made its geopolitical choice. We are the European people and our path is determined historically.” “Meanwhile, according to my deep conviction, our country should integrate in the commonwealth of European nations as a full-fledged partner, which will be respected and which will be taken into account,” the statement reads.

“We should be guided only by national interests, should be responsible for our future. We should stand up for our country on the political map of Europe and the world as a large and truly independent state,” Yanukovich said in conclusion.

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