June 10, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze met with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine in Latvia Juris Poikāns.

The main topics of the talks were the Association Agreement with the EU, sanctions against Russia, visa liberalization with the European Union, and a civil service reform in Ukraine.

The Vice Prime Minister expressed her concern about recent developments and statements of the representatives of different countries of the European Union regarding visa liberalization for Ukraine, as well as about the voting for the lifting of sanctions against Russia in the French Senate and noted Ukraine is expecting for the constructive position of the Dutch Government regarding the results of the April referendum in the Netherlands: "The issues that are vital for Ukraine are negatively affected by the internal problems in the European capitals".

Moreover, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister added that the argument about the disproportionate impact of EU sanctions against Russia, for example, for the French farmers was rather exaggerated: "Since the imposition of sanctions total GDP of member countries of the European Union decreased by only 0.13%, the GDP of France – by 0.05%".

Ambassador Juris Poikāns said that, in his opinion, despite the signals from certain European countries, on 28-29 June, member countries of the EU would adopt a joint decision to continue the economic pressure on the Russian Federation. He also noted that Latvia remains an unchanged friend of Ukraine: "We strongly support the visa-free regime".

The Ambassador of Latvia said that Europe evaluates certain positive changes in our country: "For the two years Ukraine has achieved more than in the previous 20 years".

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze told the Ambassador about initiatives for implementation of public administration reform in Ukraine (launched on May 1, 2016) and invited Latvia for cooperation in this direction. "This is a very good idea, and we will certainly support it," said Juris Poikāns.