In the course of the working visit to Lithuania, President Petro Poroshenko took part in the Ukraine-Lithuania economic forum.

In the course of his speech, the President recalled the events of 2013, when Ukrainian business had been waiting for the signature of the Association Agreement with the EU. “Millions of people came to the streets when they found out that the Agreement wouldn’t be signed. They did not demand higher salaries or lower taxes. People demanded Europe,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.

The Head of State reminded that right after the election, he departed to Brussels and signed the Association Agreement. Petro Poroshenko emphasized that he had signed the Agreement with a pen presented by Dalia Grybauskaitė. That pen was to sign the Agreement in November 2013 in Vilnius. The President quoted the Lithuanian President: “I want the European integration of Ukraine to be related to Vilnius”. “I want that as well. And it happened,” Petro Poroshenko added.

Speaking of the present situation, the President emphasized: “We will not let anyone blackmail us with gas issues or economic sanctions imposed against Ukraine since 2013 without any reasons”. “The reasons are political. They want to make decisions about our future instead of us. But we’ve learned to decide ourselves,” the President stated.

According to the President, European idea unites all Ukrainians today.

In the course of his speech, the President emphasized that DCFTA with the EU would create unique opportunities when the decisive factors of market share would be efficiency, competitiveness and quality, not corruption.

Ukraine-Lithuania business forum was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Association of Lithuanian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Vilnius Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Chamber of Commerce of Ukraine and Kyiv Chamber of Commerce. The forum, in particular, will present the program of privatization of Ukrainian state enterprises and investment opportunities of Ukraine. The parties will also discuss potential implementation of the Association Agreement for economic cooperation between the two countries. Special attention will be paid to the cooperation in transport and energy sectors.