The Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada) on Thursday adopted legislation allowing Poles to legally stay in the country for one and a half years without needing to obtain any special permits while enjoying similar rights as Ukrainians.

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Kiev must significantly reform before it can qualify for membership, Paris has insisted Ukraine will have to meet the EU’s economic and political standards before being allowed to join the bloc, French Europe Minister Laurence Boone told lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday.