What You Need To Know:
✓ It's time to stop pointing fingers and fully implement the Ukraine peace agreement;
✓ There are no alternatives to the Minsk ceasefire deal;
✓ Sanctions on Russia will only be reviewed upon full implementation of the Minsk deal;
✓ EU must discuss long term strategy for integrating Ukraine;
✓ EU should be more visible in the center of the reforms effort in Ukraine.


Foreign Affairs Minister of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak believes that Ukrainian citizens deserve better than what they are currently seeing from the EU. "It was Ukrainian citizens waving EU flags on Maidan and that means the EU is and should act as a model for them".

For Lajčák, Slovakia would not be the success story it is now without the substantial guidance and concrete support they've received as a member of the EU. He says that this type of support is now being offered for the Western Balkans, and must be offered to Ukraine as well.

Perhaps most importantly the Slovakian Foreign Minister admits that although 'there are clear efforts from the Ukrainian government to reform, there needs to be a clear strategy, a clear vision from the EU for reforms in Ukraine so that every Ukrainian citizen understands why these laws are adopted.' If Ukrainians see these steps from the EU, they will believe in the new path because although 'it may not immediately improve their lives, it changes society gradually for the better.'

Finally, in his opinion, it's time to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. "EU has all the know how, the experience and the funds to do this. It's time to stop talking about support, and start taking concrete actions."

Miroslav Lajčák, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Slovakia, spoke with spoke with Hromadske International Sunday Show host Nataliya Gumenyuk on September 6th, 2015.

This video was originally published on September 12th, 2015.

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