09:46 12.06.2017

Ukraine now has more arguments for EU membership

2 min read

With the implementation of visa-free travel to the European Union countries, Kyiv now has more arguments for the prospective membership in the European Union, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"I would like to say that the greater progress we show on the path of reforms, the more arguments the Ukrainian people and I have to give Ukraine a prospect of the membership in the EU as well. Because Ukraine is a European country in accordance with the Article 49 of the Rome Statute," Poroshenko said in his joint statement with Slovak President Andrej Kiska at the Uzhgorod border crossing point in Zakarpattia region on Sunday.

Ukraine "is leaving the Soviet past for good" and "returning to the European family," the Ukrainian president said.

"Over than 4 million Ukrainians already have biometric passports, they no longer need some visas, paperwork, collection [of documents] and lines, and it increases the value of a Ukrainian passport," he said.

Kiska, for his part, congratulated the Ukrainians on visa-free travel to the European Union countries.

"A lot of efforts and a great deal of hard work are behind this day. Ukraine has fulfilled its promises and the European Union did the same. That is the way it should be, everyone should fulfill their promises," the Slovak president said.

Kiska called on Ukraine to continue reforms and move forward on this path.

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