Citizens of the Russian Federation to enter Ukraine on foreign passports, PM on the Government's decision

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk has signed a Government resolution "On the suspension of certain provisions of the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Russian Federation on visa-free trips of citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation."

At the meeting with participation of Minister of Justice of Ukraine Pavlo Petrenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Serhii Chebotar, Chairman of the State Border Service of Ukraine Viktor Nazarenko, Deputy Chairman of the SBU Victor Yahun, First Deputy Chairman of the State Migration Service Yurii Sergiienko, the Prime Minister of Ukraine stressed the need to strengthen control on the Ukrainian-Russian border and introduce the European rules of crossing the state border, including the citizens of the Russian Federation".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has informed that the Government took the decision to stop the force of some provisions of the Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on visa-free trips of citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation: "We except the internal passport and birth certificate as the basis for crossing the Ukrainian state border".

The provisions in respect of 6 remaining specified documents in the bilateral Agreement Russian citizens for entrance on the territory of Ukraine, for example, diplomatic and official passport, remain in force.

The PM has reminded that President of Russia Vladimir Putin asked to use exclusively foreign passports while crossing the state border": "Well, we heard his request. Now Russian citizens, as Vladimir Putin asked, must use exclusively foreign passports."

Such a step, Arseniy Yatsenyuk underlined, will significantly strengthen border control and ensure the interests of Ukraine’s national security.

The Head of Government has commissioned the State Migration Service of Ukraine in synergy with the State Border Guard Service to bring under control a term of stay for the Russian citizens who arrived to Ukraine, "The Security Service of Ukraine, as appropriate, obtains additional information about the number and names of citizens of the Russian Federation who cross the border".

He appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a demand to inform Russia about the suspension of certain provisions of the agreement on visa-free entry for the citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

Moreover, Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that the Agreement on local border traffic with the Russian Federation does not comply with the European standards, "With our European partners we have clearly defined area and limits, there is issued a registration certificate for each citizen, who can enjoy the privileges set out in the Agreement on local border traffic".

The Prime Minister appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs jointly with the relevant departments by Wednesday to submit a draft decision how to bring to compliance with the European standards provisions of the Agreement on local border traffic with the Russian Federation.

He reminded that by February 15, the State Migration Service of Ukraine shall install 606 terminals to issue biometric passports to the citizens of Ukraine, "This issue is specifically monitored by me, and the entire country". Arseniy Yatsenyuk instructed to ensure these terminals to be installed, "so that people could obtain a foreign passport with free access and use it to travel to the European Union member states and other countries as well."

During the meeting Chairman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Viktor Nazarenko informed that in 2014, the Agency had banned from entry 46834 foreign nationals, of whom 15500 were citizens of the Russian Federation, "This year we have banned from crossing 2895 citizens, of whom 432 citizens of the Russian Federation. Authorized by the law enforcement agencies we have detained 318 citizens who are potentially implicated in terrorist activities".