KIEV (Sputnik) — Kiev is awaiting a final decision from the European Union on the introduction of a visa-free regime with Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Sunday.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko said during his New Year's address to the nation that a visa-free regime with the bloc would be introduced in 2016.
"The European Commission has clearly said that Ukraine has fulfilled all the criteria for the introduction of a visa-free regime with the European Union… European citizens can currently cross into Ukraine without visas, we are waiting for a final decision from the European Union concerning a visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens,” Yastenyuk said, as broadcast by the local television.
On November 18, the European Commission announced that Ukraine had completed all the requirements for a visa-free regime with the European Union.
The Commission is expected to recommend to make the corresponding amendments in to the EU visa legislation in early 2016.