DISINFO: The EU is abandoning Ukraine
SUMMARY
The EU has “lost interest” in Ukraine while the country is continuing to “decline”. So it did not give Ukraine the 600 million dollars tranche. [—] Ukraine is rapidly declining, turning into a wasteland.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation. No evidence of the EU abandoning Ukraine. The European Commission's decision not to transfer the 600 million dollars tranche to Ukraine was made because four of the measures linked to this macro-financial assistance remained outstanding. European Commission is ready to consider further Macro-Financial Assistance to Ukraine, provided reform momentum is stepped up, it stated. The EU is supporting Ukraine through one of the most ambitious reform programmes the EU has ever undertaken. The provisional application of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area offers Ukraine privileged access to trade with a market of over 500 million consumers. The EU has provided long term loans to Ukraine to help stabilise its economy: €2.2 billion has been disbursed already. The EU (whose Member States represent altogether the largest IMF shareholder) is strongly supported by IMF loans and programmes which have helped to stabilise the economic situation in Ukraine and will continue to help the country to reform its economy. The EU is also providing substantial budget support, technical assistance and loans to SME businesses through the EIB and EBRD supported EU4Business programme. This is in addition to over 250 projects supporting reform efforts across sectors and industry http://bit.ly/2dQQWJq. Overall, the EU is both currently and historically the biggest international donor to Ukraine, and has proposed an overall support package of at least €11bn to help stabilise the economic and financial situation.