EU member states will begin deliberations in two days on an interim agreement on visa-free travel for Ukraine
As a result of the consultations of the EU member states, representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission, an agreement was reached on the launch of visa liberalization for Ukraine's citizens. The update was provided by the Maltese EU Presidency, a representative of which participated in the meeting, according to Evropeiska Pravda.
"The representatives of the Maltese Presidency and the European Parliament reached an interim agreement on visa liberalization for Ukrainians, who are visiting the European Union," the statement says.
However, it is not clear why the representatives decided on an interim agreement because standard procedure dictates that trialogue should not be repeated.
The Maltese Presidency also separately noted that on Thursday, March 2, the issue of the abolition of visas for Ukraine will be put on the agenda of a meeting of permanent representatives of EU member states or COREPER, which will take place in Brussels. Consideration at COREPER will be the first step in the approval of a visa-free regime at member-state level.
Radio Liberty’s Brussels correspondent, Rikard Jozwiak added that the inter-institutional meeting was a success. "Visa trialogue for Ukraine has ended successfully. EU ambassadors will approve on March 2," he explained. The second round of approval is likely to start in May.
Jozwiak stressed that the trialogue would not be repeated. In the future, there will only be the approval of the European Parliament and the EU Council.