Prospects for visa-free regime in EU for Ukrainians

Donald Tusk, the European Council President, conveyed optimism that soon, authorities of the European Union will consent to the matters associated with visa waivers for Ukrainian nationals.

This came to light on Friday from the Ukrainian presidential press service, who said Tusk stated the above over a telephonic conversation with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

Poroshenko and Tusk embraced the COREPER settlement to commence negotiations on the initiation of a visa-free system for citizens of Ukraine. "This decision is a significant political achievement in the visa liberalization process," said the press service citing Tusk.

Both sides conferred about the EU-Ukraine summit preparations, which will occur at Brussels on 24th November.

On 17th November, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union (COREPER) consented in lieu of the European Council, on a position of negotiation on introducing to Ukraine, a visa-free regime. In a statement, the European Council said that the ‘COREPER’ affirmed the European Commission’s bid to grant visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine while in transit to the EU, for a duration of 90 days within a 180-day span.