Ukraine-EU summit to highlight visa-free travel, anti-Russian sanctions, association and energy agreements - foreign minister
KYIV. Nov 21 (Interfax) - The Ukraine-EU summit scheduled for November 24 in Brussels will highlight the visa-free travel regime for Ukrainian citizens, the extension of anti-Russian sanctions and the ratification of the Association Agreement and will witness the signing of an energy cooperation memorandum, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said.
"I believe we should put emphasis on the Donbas situation, the Russian aggression, the extension of sanctions, [...] issues related to the occupied Crimea," he said in a program aired by the Inter channel on Sunday evening.
Ukraine and the EU are due to sign an energy cooperation memorandum and to agree on further financial assistance, which will support the Ukraine reforms, Klimkin said.
In addition to visa liberalization between the EU and Ukraine, the sides will discuss the ratification of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement, the minister said. "We have been negotiating pretty closely [...] and we are hoping to find a positive solution to this problem soon," he said.
As to the possibility of a visa-free travel regime between the EU and Ukraine, Klimkin said it would kick off simultaneously with the EU decision on the mechanism of response to migration risks.
"The European Commission, the European parliament and all member countries support the visa-free travel regime. The further process will cover 'technicalities' in the elaboration of the legislative initiative and the mechanism of response to migration risks we are expecting. [...] The visa-free travel regime for Ukraine and Georgia, and the others not on the current agenda, will take effect simultaneously with the approval of the mechanism of response to migration risks," he said.
According to Klimkin, progress has been made at negotiations on the approval of the EU procedure of response to migration risks.
