Opinions & Interviews

KIEV, 21 December (BelTA) – Ukraine is sincerely interested in developing trade, economic, political relations as well as cooperation in security matters with Belarus as effectively as possible. Ukraine President Piotr Poroshenko made the statement during the expanded participation negotiations with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 21 December, BelTA has learned.

Piotr Poroshenko thanked Alexander Lukashenko for visiting Ukraine. “I think it testifies to our mutual interest in advancing friendly good-neighborhood bilateral cooperation. Moreover, we have all the reasons to do it,” noted the Ukraine President. “Today we say that trade relations with Belarus are a lucky exception since we have managed to prevent a decrease in trade turnover. And the bilateral trade has even increased”.

Piotr Poroshenko suggested advancing the relations within the framework of the Eastern Partnership Initiative where, in his words, significant mechanisms were available that could allow the mutual effective use of technologies, legislation, financial instruments in various partnership programs ranging from integrated border management and ending with energy effectiveness.

The Ukraine President said that during the private talks the two heads of state had discussed a number of fundamental matters concerning security and the situation in Ukraine’s east. Piotr Poroshenko once again thanked Alexander Lukashenko for the opportunity for the trilateral contact group to have a dialogue in Minsk and for the tangible results – the creation of the document, which is now internationally recognized as central to the peace process and the de-escalation of the conflict in some areas of Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast. “There is no doubt that I appreciate your principled stance on supporting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the country,” stressed the Ukrainian leader.

Piotr Poroshenko remarked that during the expanded participation talks they were going to discuss cooperation in fuel and energy sphere, mechanical engineering, and interregional cooperation.