«Despite the importance of such issues as countering terrorism in the EU member states and solving the refugee crisis, our visit to Ukraine is yet another evidence of the Benelux special attention to Ukraine as well as a show of solidarity with our Ukrainian partners and the readiness to assist in comprehensive reforming, including in the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU", said the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Belgium Didier Reynders, the Netherlands Albert Koenders and Luxembourg Jean Asselborn.

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin reciprocated by saying that the visit of his counterparts from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the EU founding states, is especially important with regard to the Luxembourg's EU Presidency and its rotation to the Netherlands from 1 January 2016.

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed gratitude to his colleagues for a clear support of Ukraine in defending its independence and sovereignty, including their firm stand on sanctions against Russia.

During negotiations, Ministers emphasized the importance of the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as a platform for political settlement in Donbas.

Ministers expressed concerns regarding the humanitarian situation at the occupied territories and discussed the necessity of providing favorable conditions for fair and democratic elections in the occupied region. In this view, sides underlined the Russia’s full responsibility in solving problems in this issue, including granting access of the international humanitarian organizations to provide necessary assistance.

While discussing internal developments in Ukraine, the Benelux Foreign Ministers noted Ukraine’s progress in conducting reforms as well as positively valued Ukrainian efforts on the way towards the visa-free regime with the EU. In this respect, Luxembourg and the Netherlands as presiding countries in the EU confirmed their readiness to facilitate in adopting EU’s positive decision in this issue.

By discussing the Ukraine-EU bilateral relations, all sides showed their unity over the importance of launching Free Trade Area between Ukraine and the EU from 1 January 2016 as a platform for intensifying economic and trade relations.

The sides also exchanged views on other important issues of the international agenda.