Poroshenko calls on EU to tighten sanctions against Russia during revision of this issue in June

KYIV. April 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during a meeting with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius expressed conviction that the international community should respond strongly to Russia's decision to simplify the rules for issuing Russian passports to residents of certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and called on the European Union to strengthen sanctions against Russia in June.

"The two condemned the latest decision of the president of the Russian Federation on the simplified procedure for issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens living in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily occupied by Russia. It was noted that this is a conscious and illegitimate step of the Kremlin that directly contradicts the Minsk agreements and undermines the peace process in Donbas ... The president of Ukraine called on the EU to tighten sanctions against Russia during the next revision of the relevant sanctions regime in June," the presidential website said on Thursday evening.