Ukraine Ambassador Sees Strong Potential for Serbia Ties, Discusses EU Progress

Oleksandr Litvinenko, Ukraine's ambassador to Serbia, believes there is substantial room to enhance relations between the two countries. He expressed Ukraine's desire for an agreement similar to the one Serbia has with Russia, indicating a willingness to deepen diplomatic and economic ties.

Ambassador Litvinenko noted that Ukraine and the European Union have initiated their first cluster of accession negotiations, a significant step he described as a "real transformation" of the process. He affirmed Ukraine's readiness to implement the necessary reforms, despite acknowledging the challenges posed by the ongoing war and existing issues like corruption.

"As with all candidates, Ukraine has many problems. And first and foremost, it has the problem that a war is being waged," Litvinenko stated. He emphasized that Ukraine is defending itself and highlighted the existence of an anti-corruption body as crucial. He also mentioned potential issues in sectors like agriculture and metallurgy, suggesting they require negotiation with neighboring countries.

Addressing concerns about Ukraine potentially drawing Europe into the conflict, Litvinenko countered that Ukraine is defending itself and, in doing so, is also protecting Europe. He pointed to Ukraine's military experience as a valuable asset for European security, describing the Ukrainian army as the most experienced in Europe in fighting a formidable enemy. He dismissed Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's comments about the EU's potential collapse due to Ukraine's accession talks as a "psychological reaction" to failed attempts to hinder the negotiations.