On February 13, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko met members of the European Trade Unions Confederation (ETUC) mission, during which the parties discussed issues of European aspirations of Ukraine, ensuring decent labor, social dialogue, cooperation with international financial institutions, etc.

"Implementation of the course towards integration into the EU and NATO is a priority of our state. We are well aware that this is not just to follow formal criteria, but, above all, to ensure the proper level of development of the economy of our country and raising the standard of living of our fellow citizens", said Pavlo Rozenko during the meeting.

"We pay significant attention to these issues, but it should be noted that there is a number of adverse factors that significantly impede this movement", he said. Pavlo Rozenko told his European counterparts that, as a result of the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the occupation of part of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukraine has lost much of its industrial potential. "The war has lasted for 4 years and definitely depletes the economy of the country: every day we receive reports of our soldiers killed or wounded", said the Deputy Prime Minister.

At the same time, according to him, even under such difficult circumstances, cooperation with the Government's social partners prolongs to seek solutions that will contribute to the country's socio-economic development.

Among the positive results of the Government's work, Pavlo Rozenko singled out the preservation of positive dynamics of economic growth, industrial output, leveraging investment, legalization of employment, the increase of wages and pensions and the introduction of significant changes in other spheres of country’s development.