Brussels, 20/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 19 July, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that the sanctions against Russia due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine could be lifted progressively according to application of the Minsk agreements.
“The more Minsk agreements there will be, the less [sic] sanctions there will be”, Juncker said at a press conference in Brussels with Ukraine's Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. He said that the local elections in Ukraine could not be held in Ukraine as long as “security measures of an impressive scale are not put in place in eastern Ukraine”. “I would like everyone to open their eyes to the situation in eastern Ukraine. The security issue is a priority”, Groysman said, adding that in 24 hours, 7 soldiers had been killed and 14 wounded.
For his first visit to Brussels since becoming prime minister three months ago, Groysman also talked to the EU representatives about the reforms that are being undertaken in his country. Juncker encouraged the Ukrainian government to continue its process of reforms. “We are determined to implement the reforms fully”, Groysman assured. “We are pleased with the speed and content of the reforms undertaken by the Ukrainian government. We must do more. The process of reform must be accelerated everywhere in Europe. This is also true for Ukraine. But we are pleased with what has been undertaken by Ukraine”, Juncker stated. Hahn recalled that since 2014 the EU and European financial institutions had mobilised €7 billion in loans and subsidies “to support Ukraine's societal and economic transition, and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region”.
Juncker and Groysman also spoke about Ukraine's association agreement with the EU and the consequences of the referendum held in the Netherlands. “We are engaged in a process to check the ways and means, the possibilities and instruments, with our Dutch friends so as to reach a final agreement”, Juncker said.
Groysman and Hahn furthermore said they thought the decision enabling a visa-free regime for the Ukrainians would be taken in the autumn. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)