KIEV, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of Ukrainians travelling to the European Union (EU) countries will see a multifold increase after a visa-free regime comes into force, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Friday.
"Last year, we have witnessed about 15 million trips to the EU. My ambition -- this number could reach between 100 million and 150 million of trips," Klimkin told local media.
On Thursday, the European Parliament approved by overwhelming majority a deal that will allow Ukrainian citizens to enter the EU without visas for short stays.
Under the new law, Ukrainians who hold a biometric passport will be able to enter the EU without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period.
The deal applies to all EU countries, except Ireland and the UK. Ukrainians will also be able to access non-EU countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland without a visa.
The agreement still needs to be formally adopted by individual EU member states.
The Ukrainian foreign minister voiced hope that the legal procedures to grant Ukraine the visa-free travel would be completed within two months.
