Ukrainians cheer on first day of visa-free European Union travel

The European Commission confirmed that Ukraine met all the necessary requirements for visa liberalization in December 2015, and on April 6, the European Parliament approved the introduction of the short-stay visa-free regime for Ukraine.

The move marks Ukraine's desired rapprochement with the European Union bloc in the wake of protests in 2014 which overthrew the pro-Russian government, followed by Russia's annexation of Crimea. They need to have biometric passports, which store personal data and fingerprints, to benefit from the new rules.

"Welcome to Europe", Kiska told the crowd.

Poroshenko said on June 10 in Kyiv that he believes Ukraine will become a member of both North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the European Union, and that "nothing, nobody will ever stop us". We waited for this day for a long time, and all Ukraine and the Ukrainian people worked hard to change the country. This is what we call a win-win solution.

Kiev is also seeking to boost European integration with cheaper rail links and more low-priced air connections with EU cities, he said.

Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin also cheered on Twitter after passengers on flights from Ukraine were able to enter Warsaw, Budapest, Frankfurt and other airports.

Visa liberalisation talks between Kiev and Brussels began in 2008.

"I'm going overseas for the first time in a decade, and it feels so good", said Ukrainian Ulyana Golosyak who crossed the border to Poland from western Ukraine despite her husband accompanying her in case of complications.