The statement says that the need for negotiations was due to the entry into force on January 15, 2007 of a number of regulatory and by-laws of the Russian Federation in the migration sphere and the need to obtain explanations from the Russian side on the mechanism of their application to Ukrainian citizens. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the Russian side assured that in bilateral relations, intergovernmental agreements will continue to apply, in particular, the Agreement between the governments of the Russian Federation and Ukraine on visa-free travel for citizens of January 16, 1997 and the protocol on amendments to the Agreement of October 30, 2004.
“Following the discussion of migration issues, the parties agreed on the need for a clear international legal settlement of this issue, in particular, through an official clarification of certain terminology of bilateral international treaties in the interests of citizens of the two countries,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s statement said.