Kiev, Amsterdam Coordinate Policies Ahead of Vote on EU-Ukraine Association

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko discussed the EU-Ukraine relations with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, coordinating their positions ahead of a referendum on the approval of the Association Agreement between Brussels and Kiev, the presidential press service said Thursday.

KIEV (Sputnik) – The Netherlands is set to hold the advisory referendum in April 2016.

"The two sides have coordinated positions in the context of the future consultative referendum on an Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, which will be held in the Netherlands on April 6, 2016," the press service said in a statement.

Poroshenko named the operation of a deep and comprehensive free trade area, the decision of the European Council on the start of a visa-free regime for Ukrainians this year, as well as the full entry into force of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union among the key issues on the agenda of EU-Ukraine relations in the first half of 2016, the statement noted.

The Ukrainian president also expressed hope for further EU-wide solidarity and unity in support of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the statement concluded.

The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement establishes a political and economic association between the parties. The deal was signed after a coup-imposed Ukrainian government came to power in 2014. The accord specifically seeks to create a free trade zone between Ukraine and the 28-nation bloc.