Bohdan Myronenko, Expert on Eastern Europe and Balkans, ADASTRA Think Tank
On May 30, the European Parliament issued the Report on security in the Eastern Partnership area and the role of the common security and defence policy. The document underlines that sustainable peace and human security in the EaP region is essential for the EU.
Among other things, the document admits that the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) can serve as one of the formats for using investment that promotes mutual security and stability in critical infrastructure. The European Parliament believes that the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) should be opened to include EaP countries. The report also welcomes the will to explore enhanced sectoral cooperation in the field of energy security with interested EaP-associated partners.
StrategEast interviewed key experts from EaP countries. Here are the comments from Ukraine.
What kinds of sectoral cooperation in the EU could best protect preserving critical infrastructure and energy security in your country?
I believe that the cooperation between my homeland and the EU is per se a good thing able to correspond to Ukraine’s interests of national security in various spheres. Current turmoil makes the challenges of energy security extremely hard as Ukraine used to rely hardly on imported fuels. This is why it would be of utmost importance for us to join the Union in the respective cooperation sphere, thus gaining access to centralized shipments from Arab countries and receiving a good opportunity to bargain, and, hence, to usher in the establishment of just and favorable prices. Also, a cyber security sector is of paramount importance – despite the tremendous skills of the Ukrainian IT professionals, a good-quality hardware is needed. We would also appreciate the implementation of robust technologies in the Army.
Do you believe that your country can benefit from entering the Three Seas Initiative?
Yes, absolutely! Frankly speaking, I do not believe it would affect our EU perspectives as the Russian propaganda is trying to picture that – the 3SI countries are very pro-European and pro-Atlantic. The Initiative has a character of “a regional sub-union” and would be a great instrument to respond the needs and urges of the countries of this part of Europe. The acknowledgment of Ukraine’s European perspective is absolute in the 3SI and the anti-Ukrainian political forces are marginal so I do hope we are going to become stronger and more prosperous together.
