Ukrainians should be granted visa-free travel to EU in 2017 - Poroshenko

10:46, 17.01.2017 1 min read

Kyiv has complied with all criteria set by the European Union, and Ukrainian citizens should be granted visa-free travel to the EU, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"Thanks to our joint efforts, a formula was devised in 2016 to unblock the ratification of the Association Agreement with the European Union. We should finally resolve the issue in 2017. First of all, we should de jure make the Association Agreement a fait accompli. Secondly, Ukrainians should finally be granted the right to visa-free travel to EU countries," he said at a meeting with foreign ambassadors. The presidential press service reported the meeting on Monday.

"The first and second matters have been fine-tuned; every obligation has been fulfilled and every criterion has been complied with," Poroshenko said.

"Further delays would be grossly unjust, because Ukrainians have paid a high price. This would also be dangerous because unfounded delays are undermining Ukrainians' faith in Europe, which is actually what Russia is driving at," the president said.