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X National Expert Forum in quotes

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo KLIMKIN:

"I guess the whole world understands: the tricks around the federalization of Ukraine is a way towards a complete destabilization of Europe. Clearly. And around Donbas. This is not going to happen but, naturally, this is a matter for discussion."

"As regards the practice of EU and NATO membership, naturally, the occupation of a part of territory is an issue. But the EU has some experience, for example, Cyprus. In fact, Russia's logic is to keep Donbas for longer, legitimize the occupation and try to present it to us as a Trojan horse. This is Russia's desire to block us the whole logic of further integration."

"Donbas will certainly be Ukrainian. Russia has no chance of keeping Donbas in the long term. But occupied Donbas, with all its Russian methodology and the occupying administration, cannot become a part of Ukraine by definition today."

Susan STEWART, Senior Associate at German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Berlin):

"For me, the whole process of reforms in Ukraine is the fight for another Ukraine. There can be different estimates of reforms, on different levels. As we have heard today, including from the French ambassador, Ukraine has already launched fundamental reforms, they are being being implemented but in a chaotic, non-systemic way."

"The issue of no return is important to us. Reforms must be united into one… However, I do not see that you have reached a point of no return, that a systemic programme has been launched… Therefore Ukraine is still making one step forward and two steps back… But we see positive changes. Ukraine is making increasingly more autonomous steps, which is different from what it used before 2013. It is important to continue this process," she said.

Annika WEIDEMANNDeputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine:

"The Association Agreement, which has already entered into force, is the most ambitious agreement we have ever had. Why do we do this? We want Ukraine to continue its development. We have the same values with you. It is clear that Ukraine is in the centre of Europe, and here we are talking not only about the EU, because Europe is bigger than the European Union. If we can continue the implementation of these processes, this can change the world as a whole. Although it is a very difficult task. Reforms take too much of your time."

Heorhiy LOHVYNSKYY, Member of Ukrainian Parliament, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (2017-2018):

"The language of dialogue, when some say 'let's talk to the Russians', is a myth that hides the real grounds for illegal activities... Therefore, in the PACE, we argued that we are not just defending our borders. We are protecting Europe from Russia... Therefore, we should not allow the negotiations to be conducted without our participation. Today, Ukraine is stopping the 'disease' which will spread to Europe... Although at the moment many in Europe still do not understand this. For this reason, we must continue to convey this position to Europe."

LEE YANG-GOO, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Ukraine:

"We have developed a master plan for cooperation between Ukraine and Korea. In accordance with this master plan, Ukraine can increase its GDP growth rate to 10% in the next 10 years. And for this there are scenarios proposed by international organizations. This is the effect of attracting investment."

Itzhak ILAN, Deputy Director of the Israeli Security Agency (“Shin-Bet”) in 2010-2011:

"Some foreign partners of Ukraine behave like they did in relation to Israel at the time, that is not actively enough."

"Sometimes pretending that this does not concern them or convincing that this does not concern them, foreign partners did not help Israel so easily and quickly in diplomatic and military terms, in supplying lethal weapons and technologies. It did not begin immediately. Of course, one cannot compare the foreign lobbies of Israel and Ukraine, but Israel did a lot to convince Western partners that the problem of Israel is their problem."

"Getting their weapons is the most important thing. Without weapons, we cannot fight. No-one fights with bare hands any longer. And the West has good weapons."

Vadym OMELCHENKO, president of Gorshenin Institute

"Today, the plane named Ukraine is entering a turbulence zone, which the presidential election campaign is. Unfortunately, turbulence not only does nothing to mobilize the crew, that is politicians in Ukraine, but, on the contrary, it causes them to fall out and even spill their fight to the cabin. Therefore, one of the important tasks of the public and the expert community is to pass this zone of turbulence carefully, calmly and comfortably to prevent losing the plane which carries us all."

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