Zelensky, European Commission President discuss distribution of vaccines, COVID-19 vaccine passports
“The parties discussed Ukraine's and the EU's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic consequences, ongoing reforms in Ukraine, and cooperation to overcome Russia's ongoing destabilization efforts. In all these areas, the EU continues to provide strong support to Ukraine,” the press service of the Head of State informs.
The Presidents agreed on the need to intensify efforts to provide Ukraine with the required number of vaccines, discussed the prospects of establishing a vaccine distribution mechanism in the EU and praised the role of the COVAX program, to which the EU makes a significant contribution. The leaders also agreed to continue cooperation to ensure mutual recognition of digital certificates to resume non-priority travel for Ukrainian and EU citizens.
As noted, the President of Ukraine and the President of the European Commission exchanged views on the situation in eastern Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements and the Normandy format, as well as the EU's strong support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The European Union remains fully committed to its policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation. The leaders discussed the launch of the Crimean Platform and agreed to cooperate in this format. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Volodymyr Zelensky's personal initiative to launch this important international format to de-occupy the Crimean Peninsula and protect the rights of the people living there,” the statement reads.
The interlocutors noted the joint commitment to strengthen the political association and economic integration between Ukraine and the EU and welcomed Ukraine's efforts to fulfil its European aspirations, in particular through continued close cooperation to strengthen the rule of law and implement reforms.
“In recent months, Ukraine has made significant progress on reforms despite Russia's destabilizing actions and the serious economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Presidents agreed that such reforms help strengthen the resilience of our state to these challenges,” the President’s Office notes.
The parties noted the progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and expressed hope for the launch of consultations on the revision of trade liberalization within the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and the revision of the Association Agreement.
They also commended the progress made in fulfilling the terms of the second tranche of macro-financial assistance, noting the next steps to be taken, in particular in the area of judicial reform and the fight against corruption.
“The interlocutors reaffirmed willingness to complete the technical procedures for the signing of the Common Aviation Area Agreement as soon as possible. They commended the cooperation in the preparation of the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA), praised the recommendations of the preliminary assessment mission, and agreed to begin on-site assessment as soon as the epidemic situation allows,” reads the statement.
Moreover, the parties discussed Ukraine’s interest in being involved in the implementation of the European Green Deal and EU assistance in this regard. The Presidents agreed to step up cooperation to support economic recovery and investment.
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