Russia, Ukraine, EU unlikely to agree on Kiev–Brussels assoc in ‘15

MOSCOW, Dec 9 (PRIME) -- Russia, Ukraine and the E.U. are very unlikely to reach a compromise in 2015 on the Kiev–Brussels free-trade zone under the two countries’ association agreement, the Economic Development Ministry said in a statement Wednesday citing Minister Alexei Ulyukayev.

The possibility of a compromise is not high, and if it is not reached by 2016, when the Ukraine–E.U. free-trade zone comes in force, Russia will have to impose import duties in Ukrainian goods, he said at a meeting with his Slovak counterpart Vazil Hudak.

At a meeting on December 1, the countries failed to agree and ease all Moscow’s concerns about the risks that the free-trade zone poses to its economy because of the CIS countries’ trade rules. Ulyukayev said Russia insisted on a legally binding agreement, but Ukraine said its conditions were unacceptable.

End