iStock/Thinkstock(KIEV, Ukraine) — Ukraine marked a historic day Friday morning, signing a broad economic and trade pact with the European Union.
The agreement will allow Ukraine and two other former Soviet nations — Georgia and Moldova — to trade with all of the 28 member states of the EU without any restrictions or tariffs.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko remarked that this would be the most important day for his country since its independence from the U.S.S.R.
“It’s absolutely a new perspective for my country,” he said.
The pact to align with the EU also marks a stark diversion from previous Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who backed out of the same agreement back in November, and pushed for stronger relations with Russia.
A spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin told Russian media outlets that the Kremlin would respond “as soon as negative consequences arise for the economy.”
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