In the course of the phone conversation, President Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Council Donald Tusk coordinated positions on the eve of the European Council’s session in Brussels on October 15-16.

Petro Poroshenko informed Donald Tusk on the situation in Donbas and progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

The parties expressed concern over the decision of the illegal armed groups’ leaders to determine new dates of fake elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Such provocations, as well as the obstruction of the OSCE SMM activity and non-compliance with the deadlines of the withdrawal of the armament are deliberate violations of the present agreements.

The parties confirmed direct relation between the EU sanctions against Russia and the fulfillment of the Minsk agreements by it.

The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine counted on further enhancement of the EU’s role in de-escalation of the conflict and stabilization of the situation in Donbas considering the peacekeeping capacity and experience of the European Union.

Petro Poroshenko and Donald Tusk discussed the acceleration of ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU by Cyprus and Greece.

Particular attention was paid to the progress of Ukraine in the fulfillment of commitments within the Plan of Actions on liberalization of visa regime with the EU and the launch of DCFTA between Ukraine and the EU on January 1, 2016.