The European Union has promised to come up with a plan and timeframe for introducing a visa-free regime for Ukrainians, according to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
“We expect the assessment mission to release the results of its work on May 12, and we have reached an agreement to hold a high-level meeting between May 12 and the Riga summit that would draft documents for the Riga summit,” Poroshenko told STB TV Channel.
He said he insisted on a “frank and honest discussion” on the visas issue.
“This is what such a frank and honest discussion should be like: name the date on which you are prepared to introduce [a visa-free regime], for example, Jan. 1, 2016. Make a comprehensive list of steps that Ukraine is to take,” the president said.
Poroshenko said he understood that the conflict in eastern Ukraine was holding the EU back on the issue.
“But we won’t put up with double standards. We have an agreement, there are terms, and they must be fulfilled,” he said.
He expressed satisfaction with the latest EU-Ukraine summit.
“Politics is an art of the possible. I won’t tell you what a great deal of effort it took to create our joint statement or how the negotiations were going, but they resulted in proof that Europe is our reliable partner,” he said.
He pointed out that “the EU leadership asserted clearly that Ukraine is the target of armed aggression from the Russian Federation.”
The EU also credited Ukraine with implementing positive reforms, according to Poroshenko.
