A long-awaited EU-Ukraine deal cannot be signed until after the country's scheduled May elections, a spokesman for the bloc's executive arm, the European Commission, said Monday.
"The trade and investment agreement remains on the table," said Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly, referring to a wide-ranging political and trade pact at the root of Ukraine's three-month troubles.
"We are ready to sign this agreement once Ukraine is ready."
Asked at a news conference whether the European Union would sign the historic deal bringing Ukraine closer to the West with a transitional government currently being formed, Bailly said:
"No. I think our idea is that we must let a transition process go to its final point" of elections set for May 25 "and once we have a government we will be ready to discuss again".
The delay "does not mean the current government is not legitimate," he said.
But Brussels preferred to sign with a government formed after an election "to make sure this is a full sovereign choice," Bailly said.
November's sudden and surprise refusal by ousted president Viktor Yanukovych to sign the pact triggered the unrest leading to the dramatic events of the last days.
Bailly also said the EU was ready to try to assist Ukraine in overcoming its economic woes "provided there is a reform programme".
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