Poroshenko calls on EU to maintain anti-Russian sanctions until Ukraine's territorial integrity restored

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said at a meeting with European Commissioner for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis and EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Johannes Hahn in Kyiv on Friday that it is important to maintain sanctions against Russia until Ukraine's territorial integrity has been restored.

"Petro Poroshenko welcomed the EU Council's September 15 decision to prolong individual sanctions for six months and urged the EU to keep comprehensive sanction pressure on Russia until the restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea," the presidential press service said.

Poroshenko also urged the EU to accelerate decision-making on the introduction of visa-free travel for Ukraine and speed up the completion of Ukraine-EU Association Agreement ratification.

The European Commission members in turn praised the progress made by the Ukrainian authorities to stabilize the macroeconomic situation in the country, curb inflation, ensure the transition to general economic growth, purge the banking system and implement energy reforms. They also greeted the Ukrainian president in connection with an important decision taken by the International Monetary Fund's Executive Board to continue cooperation with Ukraine, which creates favorable conditions for macro-financial assistance by the EU in the amount of EUR 600 million after the completion of the implementation of the previously agreed structural reforms by Ukraine.

The parties also discussed ways to support the decentralization reform, inter alia, with the U-LEAD program, road reconstruction and transport infrastructure development in Ukraine through its association with the trans-European transport networks.