The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry welcomed on Thursday a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on the former Soviet republic's prospects of membership of the European Union.
"We received not only recognition of our prospects for EU membership...but also the right to submit a bid," the statement said.
"We also welcome the recognition by the European Parliament of the importance of the gradual integration of Ukraine into the EU common market," it went on.
Ukraine should implement biometric passports and more effectively fight illegal migration and drug trafficking as part of its drive for a visa-free regime with the EU, the head of the Foreign Ministry's European Union department, Vasyl Filipchuk, said.
Ukraine and the EU on Monday reached an agreement on an action plan to scrap visas for Ukrainian nationals for short stays in the EU, European Parliament President Herman Van Rompuy said.
The agreement was signed by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and European Commission President Jose-Manuel Barroso.
Ukraine hopes that visa requirements will be lifted in time for the European Football Championships in 2012.
KIEV, November 25 (RIA Novosti)
