On April 25-26, in Brussels, under the co-chairpersonship of Iryna Heraschenko on behalf of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Andrej Plenkovic on behalf of the European Parliament the third sitting of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee was held. People's deputies of Ukraine - members of the Ukrainian part of the Parliamentary Association Committee, MEPs, representatives of the Government of Ukraine and the European Commission took part in the sitting. Co-chairperson of the EU- Ukraine Civil Society Platform was also invited to participate in the sitting.
The participants of the sitting discussed topical matters on the agenda of Ukraine-EU relations and exchanged their positions on the political situation in Ukraine, the security and humanitarian situation in the east of Ukraine and Crimea, the implementation of the Minsk agreements, the progress of the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, the entry into force of the DCFTA from January 1 this year, the prospects of introduction of the visa-free regime for citizens of Ukraine this year, the introduction of reforms in Ukraine, and other matters of sectoral cooperation.
In addition, in the framework of the sitting held was a public event dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, which was attended by representatives of the Energoatom national energy generating company and NGOs specializing in nuclear safety of Ukraine.
The EP representatives congratulated Ukraine on the newly appointed Government and expressed hope that the Government will continue pro-European policy of the country. In particular, they pointed to the appearance in the new Government of a post of Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and former PAC member Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze was appointed to the post.
Members of the Ukrainian part informed their European partners on the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, including constitutional, judicial, and electoral reforms, corruption counteraction, and public administration reform.
The EP representatives welcomed the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, in particular, the approval of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine concerning the power decentralization, stressing in particular on the need to complete the process of decentralization. They positively assessed the steps aimed at creation of the appropriate legislative and institutional framework for combating corruption. At the same time, they emphasized on the necessity of proper implementation of the approved legislation.
One of the key issues of the discussion was the situation in Donbas and humanitarian crisis, which is the result of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and occupation of Crimea. The parties expressed their common view on the need for full and unconditional implementation by Russia of the commitments under the Minsk agreements, including permanent and comprehensive cease-fire, verified and substantial demilitarization of Donbas, ensuring of free and safe access of the OSCE SMM to all uncontrolled territories, full monitoring by the OSCE SMM of an uncontrolled part of the border, complete demilitarization under effective international control, withdrawal of all foreign troops, disarmament of illegal armed gangs with simultaneous amnesty, exchange of all hostages and illegally held persons, and solving the matter concerning Nadia Savchenko first of all.
In this context, the members of the PAC pointed to the need for preserving the sanctions against the Russian Federation till Russia's full and unconditional fulfillment of the Minsk agreements, and restoration of Ukraine' territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders.
Final Statement and Recommendations were approved following the third sitting of the PAC.