Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna
Part of UK in Ukraine
6th December 2011
Donetsk, Ukraine and the EU
What would the great Welshman and founder of Donetsk, John Hughes, think of Ukraine today?
I was privileged to be invited to Donetsk recently to give the inaugural John Hughes memorial speech. My audience was the Donetsk Chamber of Commerce and the British Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. In the speech I paid tribute to John Hughes, who arrived in 1870 in what is now Donetsk (but was initially called “Yuzovska”, or “Hughesovska”) and the way which his capital, technology and expertise contributed to the economy of what is now Ukraine. I went on to note how Ukraine’s EU integration could provide the best possible additional impetus to economic reform in Ukraine. I also said, however, that for as long as opposition leaders imprisoned as the result of flawed trials were in prison and unable to participate in political activity, the Association Agreement which could do such a huge amount to bring about that integration was, unfortunately, unlikely to be signed or ratified and thus would not enter into effect. That would be an immense pity for both Ukraine and the EU. It would also reduce the chances of Donetsk developing into the kind of wealthy, modern European city which John Hughes would most have liked to see.
You can read the full text of the speech here (in English) or here (in Ukrainian).
Robert – thanks for the comment on the speech. On Euro 2012, decisions on team bases are matter for the FA; but I’m sure I’ll be blogging on our consular preparations as the matches draw near. Looking forward to it.
On the subject of your blog, very good points in your speech in Donetsk, strongly and bravely made. I hope they have some influence.
Dear Mr. Skailes,
If you would not mind I would like to have a talk to you briefly ,I will call you if you wish.
Thanks in advance,
rudimart@gmail.com (Jeremy’s friend)
Apologies! – this is completely irrelevant to your post, but neither BBC Sport nor the English FA seem to be open for this topic at present. Namely, the unwise decisions by the FA and Mr.Capello to choose the England team Euro 2012 base before the draw was made; and secondly to make knee-jerk comments sticking to the decision once the draw was made. Local knowledge shudders at the prospect of 950-mile each way Krakow-Donetsk trips, even by air, and Krakow-Kiev not much better – also with the Schengen border to cross each time. lease could we have a blog on this topic, with views passed on to the FA and the UK media.