In his words, a single person, regardless of his fame, cannot determine the fate of an entire country.
"Can one individual, one citizen, one politician, even though she is a very famous Ukrainian political figure, determine the fate of the Ukrainian state? You know who I am talking about. Can the problem surrounding (Ukraine's imprisoned ex-PM Yulia) Tymoshenko determine the fate of entire Ukraine as a state and its citizens?," Juodka asked during a meeting with visiting leaders of the European Parliament (EP) and group chairmen.
In his words, the Association Agreement is merely the first step, which would have to be succeeded by many efforts, yet it would send a message to Ukraine that it is welcome in the EU.
"The Association Agreement is just the first step, there will still be ways ahead to the EU, therefore, we can do everything in our capacity to make the country more democratic and free of selective justice, with a higher degree of respect for human rights and less corruption," said the Lithuanian MP.
In his words, Lithuania listed the issues of EU's Eastern Partnership among its EU Council presidency priorities. In November, the country will host one of the key presidency events, i.e., the Eastern Partnership summit, which should bring together leaders of 28 EU states and six Eastern Partnership countries.
"It would be nice to have the politician from Armenia, Georgia and Moldova gather in Vilnius in November and knowing that their Association Agreement talks ended successfully. Signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is one of the objectives," Juodka said.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that some were not very optimistic about this happening.
"What, in your opinion, are the obstacles for the signing of the Association Agreement? Of course, European values are sacred: democracy, human rights, etc. - but do the Western Balkan nations drawing increasingly nearer the EU respect all of the values? We understand that Ukraine does not satisfy some of the values. But my question is not rhetoric – can the EU make any compromise?," he asked his EP colleagues.
Juodka emphasized that, in case of EU's failure to make compromise for Ukraine, Russia will take advantage of the situation, adding that it has set up the Eurasian Union with Kazakhstan and Belarus.
"Presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus met a few days ago and made a joke about Ukraine having signed an association agreement with Eurasia. It is a joke but you realize that Ukraine will either join the EU or the Eurasian Union. What do we want?," he asked.
EP President Martin Schulz, in his turn, stated that many MEPs support Juodka's statement about Ukraine being a European country, however, stances on democratic issues still differ.
Schulz recalled sending a mission of intermediaries to Kiev to facilitate communication between Ukraine's current administration and the opposition. The EP president said he sees the first good outcome of the mission.
In his words, the EP will hold important discussions about the Association Agreement with Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych said on Thursday that Kiev expected a positive decision on the EU side in connection to the Association Agreement during the Eastern Partnership summit.
Nevertheless, Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius said on Wednesday that the EU would not sign the agreement with Ukraine at the moment, as the country has not completed all homework.
The Eastern Partnership summit will take place in Vilnius on November 28-29 in the framework of Lithuania's EU Council presidency.
