As reported by Liha with reference to the Senate secretariat, the corresponding bill, authored by 11 American senators, allowed "the extension of unconditional and permanent normal trade relations (permanent normal trade relations) to goods of Ukraine."
The document, unanimously supported by the US Senate, repeals for Ukraine the effect of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, introduced against the USSR and existing in American legislation since 1974 as a measure linking foreign trade with issues of freedom of emigration.
Ukraine since 1997 "fully complies with the requirements of freedom of emigration," and is also committed to ensuring freedom of religion and preventing intolerance, the document says.
It also emphasizes that Ukraine "has taken significant steps, demonstrating its intentions to build friendly cooperative relations with the US, including participation in peacekeeping efforts in Europe."
The bill allows the US president at his discretion to extend non-discriminatory normal trade relations to goods of Ukraine.
From the moment of such a decision, the effect of the Jackson-Vanik amendment in US legislation is automatically terminated.
After the bill's adoption by the Senate, a vote in the US House of Representatives is also required. If the bill is approved in the House of Representatives, it will be sent to the US president for signature.
Currently, the restrictive Jackson-Vanik amendment continues to apply to a number of CIS countries, including Russia.
At the same time, in a telephone interview with "Channel 5," Foreign Ministry spokesman Vasyl Filipchuk called this step by the Senate a restoration of justice in bilateral relations.
"We, of course, welcome the US Senate's decision on this issue. This is a long-awaited decision, which in Ukraine is regarded as a restoration of justice in Ukrainian-American relations," said Filipchuk.
"We believe that the final decision of the House of Representatives will be adopted in the near future. In any case, we have sufficient grounds to believe that there are no serious obstacles on this path, and we expect that a decision will be made in the near future," he noted.