Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna met in Brussels with Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Stefano Sannino to consider the issues of preparation for the EU-Ukraine Summit to be held on October 12 in Kyiv.
During the meeting, Olha Stefanishyna informed her European counterpart about Ukraine's progress in achieving the goals of the Association Agreement.
"Ukraine and the EU are able of strengthening the potential of the Association Agreement. A joint review of the progress in achievement of the goals of the Agreement should determine sectors where we can achieve more," said Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna.
The Ukrainian official noted significant progress in approximating Ukrainian legislation to the norms of European Union law. In particular, she outlined the priority European integration legislative initiatives having recently agreed and approved by the Government to accelerate sectoral integration.
In addition, the parties discussed the possibility of strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of security, among other things, Ukraine's involvement in the initiatives of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy, primarily Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).
Olha Stefanishyna agreed with Stefano Sannino on further steps for a joint review of the Agreement after the presentation of internal assessments on the sidelines of the forthcoming Summit. Some political positions on non-recognition of the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in Crimea, extension of the sanctions regime against Russia and joint actions within the framework of the Crimean platform were also agreed upon.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the EEAS praised Ukraine's presentation of the assessment of the Agreement and assured the Deputy Prime Minister of further close cooperation and support for European integration reforms in Ukraine.