"In two weeks’ time, the Ukrainian people will take part in early elections. Ukraine will have to face this challenge to achieve political and constitutional stability, whish is essential to move on, along the way of political and economic reforms". José Manuel Barroso, president of the EU Commission, is getting ready to face the journey that tomorrow will take him to Kiev for the annual summit between the EU and Ukraine. The EU institutions have shown great interest in this event, so much that the delegation will be composed of the highest authorities of the European Union: along with Barroso, the delegation will include the Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates, currently heading the EU Council, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, commissioner for external relations, Javier Solana, High Representative for foreign policy. Barroso adds that "the EU will support, step by step", the democratic process and the efforts to modernise this big country of Eastern Europe. Many items will be on the agenda: bilateral trade, which has consistently grown over the last few years, along with direct investments from EU partners; the energy industry (the EU imports gas under a 2005 agreement) and the environment; the problems of justice and regional development.
