Agro Perspectiva

Presidents of Ukraine and Russia discuss trade-economic relations

18.12.2013 10:56 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — Restoration of trade volume between Ukraine and Russia requires active participation of the two states. It was stated by President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych in the course of his yesterday meeting with President of Russia Vladimir Putin in Moscow, President Viktor Yanukovych Press Office reports. «Decrease in the volumes of mutual trade that has been taking place for the last two years requires urgent intervention. I think we will manage to coordinate this work in the nearest future not only between Ukraine and Russia, but also with other CIS-countries for the FTA to begin working in full force,» Viktor Yanukovych noted. The President stressed that Ukraine as presiding state in the CIS in 2014 would do everything to coordinate such work. According to the Head of State, due to the decline in trade, Ukrainian enterprises have found themselves in a difficult situation. The President emphasized that «extremely urgent economic issues» had been discussed at governmental level. «The agreements we elaborated and the measures we arranged will allow us improving the situation significantly in the nearest time,» Viktor Yanukovych said. The Head of State also noted that Ukraine and Russia could jointly produce certain kinds of high-quality goods to mutual benefit. According to the President, very sensitive issues are in energy, transport, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing and space spheres. «All these programs are elaborated or about to be finalized,» he said. «Unless some of these programs are signed in the course of this visit, they will be signed in the nearest future,» the President added. «Our today’s meeting is to some extent strategic given the volume of decisions achieved in the sphere of bilateral trade. We must further develop our strategic partnership,» the Head of State noted. Viktor Yanukovych also emphasized the importance of developing interregional cooperation and cross-border trade. The President reminded that in 2014 Ukraine would celebrate the 200th anniversary of T. Shevchenko’s birthday. «It is the poet who unites our nations,» Viktor Yanukovych said. In his turn, President of Russia Vladimir Putin expressed hope that Ukraine and Russia would be able to achieve progress in the solution of the most urgent issues of the two states. «Ukraine is without doubts and in the full sense a strategic partner and ally of Russia,» he noted. Vladimir Putin reminded that there had been a decline in the trade turnover between the two states in the last two years: 2012 - 11%, 2013 - 14.5%. «The time has come to make efforts to restore the level of the previous years and create conditions for moving forward. We have all opportunities to strengthen our contractual legal framework in this regard and create all conditions for trade-economic relations between Ukraine and Russia to be improved,» the President of Russia said.