I INTRODUCTION
The 2013–2014 Dignity Revolution ousted President Viktor
Yanukovych and caused the country to choose the path of closer
alignment with the European Union. The situation is complicated by
the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation and the
continuing military standoff with pro-Russian separatist groups
that have seized control of parts of the eastern Ukrainian regions
of Donetsk and Luhansk. Coupled with the economic crisis, these
events have had a substantial negative effect on the Ukrainian
economy sending the country into deep recession.
On 27 June 2014 President Petro Poroshenko signed the
Association Agreement with the EU. The Association Agreement was
simultaneously ratified by the Verkhovna Rada (the parliament of
Ukraine) and the European Parliament on 16 September 2014, however,
the establishment of the deep and comprehensive free trade area
(DCFTA) was moved to 31 December 2015.
