Zubko in Brussels discusses sanctions against Russia, situation in Azov Sea region and reforms

28.02.2019 13:30

Ukrinform

During a two-day visit to Brussels, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister Hennadiy Zubko held a series of bilateral meetings and talks in the European Commission and the European Parliament on major issues of bilateral relations.

The Ukrainian official said this during a meeting with journalists in the European Parliament on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

“We jointly considered the projects of the European Union on support for infrastructure in the Sea of Azov region, but we are interested in the development of the whole southern Ukraine. We are working on the projects regarding Mariupol and Zaporizhzhia, Mariupol and Mykolaiv, rail and transport connection between cities,” the deputy prime minister said.

According to him, the issues related to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project were also raised in the context of negotiations regarding the conditions for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. In particular, the European side confirmed its decisions already taken according to which Nord Stream 2 should comply with European legislation, therefore the management of this resource will be exclusively within the competence of Russia’s Gazprom.

“The European Union continues to pay great attention to the continuation of reforms in Ukraine, despite the upcoming elections in the European Parliament and the election campaign in Ukraine. The EU continues to support decentralization reform, energy efficiency issues and energy sector reform,” Zubko said.

The deputy prime minister said that a number of the EU decisions adopted on the Kerch Bridge, the results of the EU monitoring assessment mission in Pryazovia were the focus at a meeting with the vice president of the European Parliament. "I am convinced that the issue of Crimea has to be raised daily on both European and global levels. We also count on the continuation and toughening of sanctions against the Russian Federation in connection with aggression in the Sea of Azov. This, first of all, concerns the imposition of personal sanctions against the military who took part in the attack on Ukrainian ships, as well as judges and prosecutors responsible for the arrest of Ukrainian sailors," the official emphasized.

ish