President Petro Poroshenko emphasized that the visit of the EU delegation and European Commissioner Johannes Hahn took place at a very important moment for Ukraine. Political crisis has been resolved, new pro-European Government has been formed including Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze.

“We have all preconditions to demonstrate our determination to implement the whole package of reforms,” Petro Poroshenko emphasized and added that the strategy of reforms for the first 100 days of the new Government had been approved at the session of the National Council of Reforms.

According to the President, the program of actions of the new Government includes fulfillment of obligations to the IMF and implementation of the Association Agreement. Ukraine is also guided by the Minsk agreements.

“For the reforms in Ukraine to become a story of success, we need internal stability, unity and foreign support and solidarity of the EU,” Petro Poroshenko noted.

The Head of State noted that Ukraine was interested in accelerating the receipt of the IMF tranche, package of the EU’s macro-financial aid and U.S. credit guarantees. “After the referendum in the Netherlands, we must unite efforts to accelerate and complete the ratification of the Association Agreement,” the President said.  

European Commissioner Johannes Hahn emphasized that the decision to establish the visa-free regime demonstrated the EU’s support for Ukraine in the context of the Dutch referendum as well. “Of course, this issue depends on this country, but we should take into account that the Association Agreement has already been ratified by 27 EU member-states,” he noted. The European Commissioner stressed that the given decision shouldn’t affect the relations between Ukraine and the EU.

In the course of the meeting, the parties discussed the allocation of the second EU tranche in the framework of the third program of macro-financial aid in the amount of EUR 600 million after the fulfillment of the rest of criteria by Ukraine and restoration of cooperation with the IMF. They also discussed the assistance under the Contract on State Development and Program of Support for the Public Administration Reform.

The parties praised the results of the first quarter of implementation of DCFTA between Ukraine and the EU and noted the importance of immediate completion of the entry into force of the Association Agreement.

The President informed the Commissioner on the developments in Donbas, prospects of liberation of Nadiya Savchenko and other Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. The parties confirmed that the sanctions against Russia will stay in place until full implementation of the Minsk agreements and restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine.