European Commission delegation to arrive in Kiev in early February - PM Shmygal

MOSCOW. Jan 18 (Interfax) - A European Commission delegation led by Ursula von der Leyen will arrive in Kiev on February 2, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said.

"We are preparing to meet with a European Commission delegation led by von der Leyen, which will arrive in Kiev on February 2. Important intergovernmental consultations will be held. We will compare our stances on Ukraine's compliance with the European Commission's recommendations, will assess progress, and will comprehend prospects of our joint work," the Ukrainian media quoted Shmygal as saying at a government meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting will address the advancement towards "an industrial visa-free system," connection to the EU common roaming area and integration into the Euro Payment Area, he said.

"We will seek to agree on extending duty-free imports of our goods by Europe. All pressing matters, such as military cooperation, support to the energy and financial sectors, aspects of humanitarian cooperation, and other important issues will be discussed," Shmygal said.