"Sometimes one person's case symbolizes and is the tip of the iceberg in the whole process. Therefore, I understand that one person should not be a brake but if that person and his or her case symbolizes a certain process in the country, and this is how other countries see this case, it is a totally different problem then," Grybauskaitė told BNS by phone from the Slovak capital of Bratislava where she is attending the Central European Summit of Heads of State.
19 presidents and President of the EU Council Herman Van Rompuy are attending the summit. The Lithuanian president said she wants to launch "preparatory conversations and work for the November summit in Vilnius" where an association agreement between Ukraine and the EU might be signed.
"Successful conversation are taking place, and we see that two countries have fairly good prospects. I would like to express delight over the fact that we have just finished talks with Moldova on a free trade agreement, and therefore, at least the initialing of this agreement could take place in Vilnius. And, of course, I am trying to unite the front, as I say, or the group of countries that really support Ukraine's aspiration for as many countries that might support the prospect of signing the EU-Ukrainian association agreement in Vilnius," the president told BNS.
"Of course, we remind to Ukraine that there's no one-way street, and it is vital that Ukraine continues and swiftly implements law enforcement reforms and those ensuring human rights. But, nevertheless, this whole Central European group, and those participants who are here in Bratislava today, including Mr. Van Rompuy, president of the EU Council, we all understand very well and our opinions on Ukraine's prospects in the EU really match," the Lithuanian president said.
Lithuania is set to take over the rotating EU presidency on July 1. Vilnius will host an Eastern Partnership summit on November 28-29.
