EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn claims that within few next weeks the European Union should fulfill its own obligations on introduction of visa-free regime, he said during the phone conversation with President Petro Poroshenko, the President’s site reports.

“The interlocutors discussed some urgent issues of the agenda of Ukraine-EU, in particular, the introduction of visa-free regime for Ukraine’s citizens. Once again, EU Commissioner emphasized that Ukraine fulfilled all criteria and, within the next weeks, the European Union should fulfill its own obligations”, according to the message.

It is reported that Poroshenko and Hahn demonstrated the “readiness to closely cooperate with a new US presidential administration for assisting Ukraine in combatting Russian aggression”.

“The President emphasized that the decision of the European Commission on extending access of Gazprom to OPAL pipeline does not comply with the spirit of EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and  Energy Community Treaty”, according to the message. 

As reported, during the meeting with Head of EU Mission to Ukraine Hugo Mingarelli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Elena Zerkal claimed that the permission of the European Commission to increase Gazprom’s gas flow through OPAL pipeline, bypassing Ukraine, is the violation of EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. 

The European Commission provided the Russian concern “Gazprom” with a wider access to OPAL gas pipeline, which will allow Russia to pump more gas in Europe, bypassing Ukraine.

The voting for cancellation of visa requirements for Ukrainians was not included into the agenda of the plenary session of the European Parliament in November.

On October 28, during the conversation with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, President of the European Council Donald Tusk noted that EU should complete internal procedures before provision of visa-free regime to Ukraine.

As reported, there will not be any further progress on the visa-free regime for Ukraine, until a new mechanism for suspension of visa-free regimes is approved.