EU, Ukraine wrap up summit with focus on reforms, visa-free regime

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (From L to R) attend a joint press conference at the end of the EU-Ukraine summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Nov 24, 2016. The European Union (EU) will grant visa-free regime for Ukrainians by the end of this year, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]

BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) and Ukraine on Thursday wrapped up their 18th bilateral summit in Brussels, focusing on support for reforms in Ukraine, as well as vise-free regime for Ukrainians travelling to the 28-nation bloc.

"We highly rate the efforts of the Ukrainian authorities, including those of President Poroshenko, to implement large-scale reforms in extremely difficult conditions. Ukraine's success will be the success of all of Europe," said European Council President Donald Tusk at a press conference which was also attended by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko after the summit.

The EU will allocate more than 170 million euros(179.41 million US dollars) to support good governance in Ukraine, according to deals signed at the summit.

The bloc will provide Ukraine with 15 million euros to fight corruption, 104 million euros to carry out public administration reform, and 52.5 million euros to foster the rule of law, the European Commission elaborated in a press release.

These allocations are parts of an support package to "foster accountable and transparent governance" in Ukraine which altogether make up a package worth over 300 million euros, the Commission noted.

"This new funding is evidence of the EU's continued support to the Ukrainian reform process, and to fundamental, sustained change to the way the country is governed," said Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.