President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects that Ukraine and the European Union will begin a dialogue on updating the parameters of the free trade zone (FTZ) and the sectoral provisions of the Association Agreement at a meeting of the association council, which will be held in early February in Brussels (Belgium).
Ukrainian News Agency learned this from a statement on the website of the head of state.
"President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen... He noted the importance of the next meeting of the Ukraine-EU Association Council, which will be held in early February in Brussels. The Ukrainian side expects that during the event, a dialogue on updating the parameters of the free trade zone and strengthening the sectoral provisions of the association agreement," the statement reads.
Zelenskyy and von der Leyen during the conversation paid special attention to the issue of signing an agreement on a joint aviation space.
"The President of Ukraine expressed the hope that the EU will be able to complete work on the document in the near future. The conclusion of this important agreement is in the common interest of Ukraine and the European Union," the statement reads.
Zelenskyy thanked the EU for providing Ukraine with the first tranche of macro-financial assistance in the amount of EUR 600 million in December 2020, and von der Leyen assured that the European Union is working to ensure that Ukraine receives the second part of the tranche as soon as possible - another EUR 600 million.
"The parties discussed the efforts that the Ukrainian government is making to implement anti-corruption reforms. Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed Ursula von der Leyen about the beginning of the reform of the Security Service of Ukraine, the creation of the Bureau of Economic Security, and increased responsibility for inaccurate declaration of income," the statement reads.
Zelenskyy also acquainted the President of the European Commission with the Ukrainian initiative "Crimean Platform" and invited her to take part in the constituent summit, which will be held on August 23 in Kyiv.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, von der Leyen missed the Ukraine-EU summit in Brussels in October due to the forced self-isolation due to contact with a patient with coronavirus COVID-19.
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