RIGA – The European Union (EU) has expressed its willingness to grant visa-free travel to Ukraine and Georgia in the event that the European Commission (EC) issues a favorable report at the end of 2015 regarding these countries’ meeting of the necessary criteria, according to a joint statement released at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga on May 22.

The EC welcomes the progress achieved by Georgia and Ukraine in their efforts to secure visa liberalization with the EU as stated in the latest EC progress reports, the joint statement said.