Kiev to continue upgrading checkpoints at borders with EU, Moldova

MOSCOW. Jan 14 (Interfax) - Checkpoints at Ukraine's western border will be upgraded further this year, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said.

"The strategy for the development of infrastructure at the borders with the EU and Moldova in the period until 2030 was approved last year. It envisages renovation of 28 checkpoints and construction of at least six new ones," Ukrainian media quoted Shmygal as saying at a government meeting on Tuesday.

Negotiations are underway on the joint customs and border control at the border with the European Union, he said.

"We are expecting the first results to be achieved as early as this year. The European Commission is evaluating our potential agreement with Poland. Once technicalities are approved, we will be able to use this model for other EU members," Shmygal said.

Ukraine will continue to broaden and improve the queue system at border checkpoints in 2025, he said. "The border has been crossed almost 1.6 million times with the assistance of this system in more than two years. Thousands of trucks and buses are using the system every day, which cuts the time they spend at the border," Shmygal said.

"Our goal is to make border crossing for citizens and businesses as quick and comfortable as possible," he said.