Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (Ukrainian SSR or UkrSSR or UkSSR; , УРСР ; , УССР ; see "Name" section below), also known as the Soviet Ukraine, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union from the Union's inception in 1922 to its breakup in 1991. The republic was governed by the Communist Party of Ukraine as a unitary one-party socialist soviet republic.
Enlargement of the Eurasian Economic Union
The former president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, stated in November 2010 and March 2012 that Ukraine may join the Customs Union in the future, but that the Constitution of Ukraine did not presently allow them to join. However, he also stated in April 2010 that Ukraine would not join the Customs Union. During this time, Ukraine was negotiating an Association Agreement with the European Union which was seen by the EU as being incompatible with Ukraine entering the Customs Union; the latter would end the chances for the AA according to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. Yanukovych at the time stated he wanted to pursue EU membership for Ukraine. In May 2011 Yanukovych stated that Ukraine was "searching for mechanisms of cooperation that will allow us to work with the customs union to the extent which Ukrainian laws and our obligations to world organizations such as the World Trade Organization allow”. Yanukovych would later say that he was in negotiations with Russia to "find the right model" for cooperation with the Customs Union, while simultaneously trying to get Ukraine's agreements with the EU on free trade and political association signed by the EU. He also expressed hope that the AA with the EU would be signed in 2013.