EU Intends to Ease Visa Regime With Ukraine in Coming Days - Mogherini

The European Union plans to ease the visa regime with Ukraine in the very near future, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — In the beginning of May the European Parliament approved the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens for short-term travels to the EU member states. The visa-free entrance for Ukrainians would be available to all EU countries, except for Ireland, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

"We are supporting our Eastern partners, strengthening their economies and their institutions, their resilience and in just a few days we will announce a visa liberalization agreement with our Ukrainian friends," Mogherini said.

The European Union is committed to upholding the principle of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, Mogherini claimed, adding that for this reason the bloc considers Crimea’s rejoining Russia as illegal and will not recognize it.

Mogherini vowed to continue working to bring the conflict in eastern Ukraine to an end on the basis of full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

The UN Security Council is holding a meeting on UN-EU cooperation in maintaining international peace and security.

Ukraine's visa exemption was supported by 521 votes, opposed by 75 members of parliament, while 36 abstained. The legislation is now to undergo the formal adoption by the Council of Ministers, after which it is likely to enter into force on June 20, days after it is published in the EU Official Journal.