Zelensky and von der Leyen reaffirmed their commitment to the Minsk agreements.
The parties also paid attention to vaccination against COVID-19 and bilateral cooperation, the press service of the president’s office said on Thursday.
“President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen held a telephone conversation. The parties discussed the efforts of Ukraine and the EU in the fight against coronavirus, its social and economic consequences, reforms that are ongoing in Ukraine and cooperation to overcome the constant destabilizing actions of Russia. In all these areas, the EU continues to provide Ukraine with strong support”, – said in a statement on the website of the office of the President of Ukraine.
Separately, the parties discussed the situation in Donbass.
The office noted that the head of the Ukrainian state and the president of the European Commission exchanged views on the situation in eastern Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements and the Normandy format, as well as strong support from the EU for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The leaders discussed the start of the Crimean platform (Kiev plans to discuss the issue of the “return” of the peninsula – ed.) and agreed on cooperation in this format”.
In addition, the parties discussed joint commitments to strengthen political association and economic integration between Ukraine and the EU.
“The parties noted the progress in the implementation of the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU, and also expressed hope to start consultations on the revision of trade liberalization within the framework of a deep and comprehensive free trade area and review the achievement of the goals of the association agreement”.
In addition, the interlocutors confirmed their readiness to complete the technical procedures for signing an agreement on a common aviation space as soon as possible.