Food and Politics in Davos

In the snowy mountains of Davos, Switzerland, during the week of the World Economic Forum, Ukrainian food was served to hungry economists and business people: varenyky with cherries, chicken stuffed cabbage rolls, salted pork fat – known as salo– and other authentic dishes, prepared by Ukrainian cooks, with some appetizers such as dark bread, salo, and homemade kovbasadelivered straight from Ukraine. It was the 9th annual Ukrainian Lunch in Davos – the gathering hosted by a Ukrainian philanthropist and businessman, Victor Pinchuk.

It’s not just the food – although, certainly, that is a big attraction – that brings together over two hundred businessmen, investors, participants of the World Economic Forum, Ukrainian, Russian, and European politicians. The authentic meal comes with the discussion, usually related to Ukraine and an issue that seems to be relevant to the global context.

This year’s subject was an on-going dilemma—whether Ukraine is going towards Russia or towards the EU. While the “East-West” question is becoming somewhat old, it doesn’t make the issue less important. On February 25^th the EU-Ukraine summit takes place in Brussels, and it’s been indicated that the meeting could be overshadowed by the unresolved case of imprisoned ex-prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko. In November Ukraine is to sign the Association Agreement at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Despite Ukrainian officials reassuring that the plan is certain and the delays are caused by technicalities, there is some “homework” that the Ukrainian government has to do.

“We have initiated treaties and there is no progress,” said Marek Siwiec, member of European Parliament and its former Vice President, during an interview with Forbes. “There will be no progress until the Vilnius summit. It (the agreement with the EU) is not unconditional, it is very, very conditional for Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Leonid Kozhara, while talking to journalists, remained optimistic. “As of today, there is no information that the signing is not happening,” he said.

Kozhara also said that while Ukraine is moving towards European integration, the signing of the Customs Union agreement with Russia is also a possibility.

How does the European Parliament view Ukraine joining the Customs Union with Russia? “Despite people who can see it is possible to love mother and father in the same way, I am afraid, particularly in this case, we are to step back from the future allegiance with the European Union,” Siwiec said.

While not everyone agrees with the idea that Ukraine can do both, it is understood that Ukraine cutting off all the ties with its closest – culturally and historically – neighbor, Russia, is not an option. At the same time, Ukraine certainly is not interested in becoming Russia’s appendix, and sensing that there is a lot of potential for bigger opportunities, the Ukrainian government repeatedly states that European integration is the desirable course.

The government’s understanding – or the lack of thereof – that the economic benefits of being with Europe should come with shared democratic values is a separate question. The fact, that only two weeks ago Ukraine’s state prosecutor accused Yulia Tymoshenko of a murder that took place in 1996, shows that there is a different story line going on in Ukraine that doesn’t not include following the instructions of the European Parliament.

“Analyzing the ‘90s at this point in time is a tremendous mistake,” said Javier Solana, former High Representative for the EU Foreign and Security Policy, who spoke at the Ukrainian Lunch. To make things right before signing the Association Agreement in November, he said, Ukraine needs to do its “homework”, to “use the time that is at your disposal now.” Among other things important for political and social cooperation, it means finding a way to resolve the situation of the imprisonment of the country’s opposition party leader, Tymoshenko, which is commonly viewed as  “political persecution.”

“The politics of Ukraine is full of controversy and not very logical,” Siwiec said. He mentioned the old saying: ‘Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.’ “We want to give a chance to Ukrainian authorities to correct their behavior, to correct their approach with Yulia Tymoshenko,” he said. That there would be no progress in signing the EU Association Agreement unless “certain” conditions are met, he added.

Russia, on the other hand, is interested in signing the Customs Union agreement that would make the business relationship between the two countries easier. Russia’s government, having its own political prisoners and centralized power, is certainly not concerned with Ukraine’s sliding democracy and is not showing any worries over human rights issues and political persecution.  The EU Eastern Partnership meeting in November will show how much progress is made toward European integration.

The unsolved dilemma – Russia or the West  – has been going on for about a decade and is getting stale. But the food at the Ukrainian Lunch, likely, is always fresh and delicious. “If Ukrainian borsch was turned into a creamy soup, it’s obvious that Ukraine is moving towards the West,” said an attendee of the Ukrainian lunch summing up the impressions of the event.

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