Zelensky holds phone call with President of European Council

That's according to the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, had a phone talk with President of the European Council Charles Michel." the statement said.

The Presidential Office noted that at the beginning of the conversation,  Volodymyr Zelensky informed the President of the European Council about the tragic consequences of the latest shelling of Ukrainian cities by missiles and drones, which killed civilians, including children.

The President of Ukraine thanked Charles Michel for his unwavering support and leadership in strengthening the unity and solidarity of the EU states with Ukraine.

In addition, the leaders of Ukraine and the EU discussed in detail the situation around the ban on importing Ukrainian agricultural products by some neighboring countries.

Zelensky expressed deep concern over such decisions and emphasized that these steps are a gross violation of the letter and spirit of the Association Agreement and the EU's founding treaties.

"The artificial and illegal restriction of trade with the European Union is hitting Ukraine, resisting Russian aggression, both economically and politically," the Head of State said. "I'm convinced that in the conditions of war with Russia, Ukraine as a candidate country and the European Union must always adhere to the provisions of the Association Agreement and the rules and regulations of the EU Single Market. Therefore, any alternative to the legal approach will not be considered a solution to the problem." Zelensky emphasized.

Zelenskyy called for a balanced solution and resolving the situation in a constructive and partnership manner, taking into account EU law, the Association Agreement and the interests of all parties.

"The best solution would be to continue duty-free trade for an unlimited period. Such a decision is beneficial for Ukraine and several neighboring EU member states, which already have significant competitive advantages from the increase in Ukrainian exports, and their population gets access to cheap and high-quality Ukrainian products," the president said.

The Office of the President noted that the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, expressed his readiness to contribute to resolving this unacceptable situation, including through contacts with individual EU leaders involved.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Charles Michel agreed to continue contact on these and other issues.

Photo: Office of President