Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis represents the Commission at the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence

Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, represented the European Commission this week in Ukraine, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary of independence and the International Crimea Platform Summit, where he reiterated with President Charles Michel the European Union's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In his meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the Executive Vice-President highlighted the importance of Ukraine as the EU's strategic partner and praised the country's achievements over the last 30 years, with the Association Agreement as the main driver for strengthening the political association and economic integration of Ukraine with the European Union. Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis said: “The European Union is Ukraine's trusted ally on its political and economic journey, with an unwavering commitment to developing closer economic, trade and investment ties. Ukraine's future lies in the hands of its citizens – the vast majority of whom believe a stronger democracy and a better future are best ensured by greater integration with the European Union. The EU stands by Ukraine as a committed and trusted partner.” In addition, the Executive Vice-President is today participating in a trade-focused event with Ukrainian industry, businesses and organisations, as well as Ukraine government representatives, to take stock of the Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), after five years of application. The DCFTA has helped remove costs and complexities for companies, making Ukraine more attractive for EU and third-country investors and supporting the country's structural and systemic reforms. Since its entry into force in 2017, bilateral trade grew by more than 51%, consolidating the EU's position as Ukraine's number one trade partner.