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Europe not ready to grant Kiev visa-free regime due to security threats — Hollande

Europeans are uncertain about granting a visa-free regime to Ukrainian nationals because of organized crime in Ukraine

Nationalists march in Kiev, January 2015 Maxim Nikitin/TASS

Nationalists march in Kiev, January 2015

© Maxim Nikitin/TASS

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PARIS, April 22. /TASS/. The European Union would like to grant a visa-free entry to Ukraine, but so far the process is being hampered by security threats, French President Francois Hollande said on Wednesday during a joint news conference with Petro Poroshenko during the Ukrainian leader’s first official visit to Paris.

According to Hollande, the European Union "has a desire to make it easier for Ukrainians to move outside the country." On the other hand, Europeans are uncertain about granting a visa-free regime to Ukrainian nationals because of organized crime in Ukraine. "This poses a threat to our security," Hollande said.

To be granted a visa-free regime Ukraine will have to meet a number of conditions, and then "the decisions will be taken", the French president added.

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Ukraine crisis France Pyotr Poroshenko Francois Hollande Visa regime

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