The Ukrainian citizens living in the territories of Donbas and Crimea beyond the control of Kyiv cannot be left without international passports, and if it is impossible for them to obtain biometric passports, old-style passports should to be issued for them, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"I would like to emphasize separately that if there are problems with issuing passports for those who are in the occupied territories or Crimea, then the regulatory framework must be analyzed. They cannot be left without passports," Poroshenko said at a meeting on preparedness to the visa-free travel at the Volyn Regional State Administration on Wednesday.

If it is impossible to issue biometric passports for the residents of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the suggestion on issuing old-style passports for them needs to be introduced for the consideration of the Ukrainian government in agreement with the Ukrainian Security Service and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, he said.

Poroshenko said earlier that Ukrainians living in territories of Donbas and Crimea beyond Kyiv's control will be able to travel to the European Union visa-free "after the Ukrainian sovereignty in these territories is restored."