President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has said Ukraine will receive vise-free status in the European Union within several weeks, Kyiv-based European Pravda has reprinted Juncker's article, titled "Standing by Ukraine," for the Baltic Rim Economies magazine.

The EU president noted that in 2010 the Commission laid down all the reforms that Ukraine would need to deliver to obtain visa-free travel for its citizens.

"After a thorough and lengthy assessment, we concluded earlier this year that those conditions had been met. We must now keep our side of the bargain," the EC president wrote.

"I believe that Ukrainian citizens will be free from the visa obligation in a matter of weeks," Junker said.

He also expressed the hope that the next tranche of macro-financial assistance would be unblocked in early in 2017.

According to Juncker, the EU will continue helping to solve the conflict in eastern Ukraine by diplomatic means by and by means of providing full respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

"That is why the EU insists on full implementation of the Minsk agreements, starting with a full and proper ceasefire," Juncker said.

"On our side we will continue to do everything we can to support this great European nation get back to its fee," he wrote.