Former NATO Secretary General called the EU's position on the abolition of visas for Ukraine 'betrayal'
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called the EU's position towards Kyiv on the issue of visa-free entry for citizens of Ukraine a "betrayal". Rasmussen, who is now an advisor to the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, believes that Kyiv complies with "all the necessary criteria to facilitate the easing of the visa regime." Meanwhile, as Reuters quoted on December 6th, according to Rasmussen, Poroshenko, and his associates are publicly "trying to retain optimism".
At the same time, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Olena Zerkal, said that EU officials show only a small desire to introduce a visa-free regime for Ukrainians, and "only constant pressure and constant reminders about the issue can get them to move further." According to her, "the sheer powerlessness could be seen in the European Union and European agencies." The politician also discussed her conversation with the German ambassador in Brussels who, when answering her question about the injustice of such an attitude from the EU, allegedly said that "life is unfair and this needs to be dealt with."
In turn, a European diplomat who asked to remain anonymous in an interview with Reuters said that the EU understands Ukraine's position, however, the visa-free regime is "a matter of reputation."
"The EU will do its utmost to provide Ukrainians with a visa-free regime, based on an understanding of all the risks," the unnamed diplomat said.
According to the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Hugues Mingarelli, "We all hope that this [the introduction of a visa-free regime] will be implemented in the coming weeks."
In late November, the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said they expect the cancellation of the visa regime for citizens of Ukraine soon because Kyiv has fulfilled all the conditions needed for it.