UKRAINE: Ukrainian and Belarussian presidents Yanukovitch and Lukashenko meet in Kiev

Record ID: 860397

  • Title: UKRAINE: Ukrainian and Belarussian presidents Yanukovitch and Lukashenko meet in Kiev
  • Date: 18th June 2013
  • Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (JUNE 18, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CLEANERS CLEANING RED CARPET ( GOOD SHOT - 15 SECONDS) OFFICIALS STANDING IN LINE, CHATTING VARIOUS OF UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VIKTOR YANUKOVICH BEING GREETED BY OFFICER
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • City:
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA44REE6LZLX4XUJ9S7JN99Y9OJ
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich meets Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in Kiev to discuss bilateral cooperation.

    Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich met Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in Kiev on Tuesday (June 18).
    The two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and the Ukraine's position towards the United Economic Space accession.
    Ukraine signed a deal last month to become an observer in a Russia-led customs union trade bloc, going as far as it could to please its powerful neighbour without jeopardising a planned free trade deal with the European Union.
    Belarusian President Lukashenko said that Ukraine has always been a close partner, but warned President Yanukovich against making deals with organisations that might threaten the country's possible accession to the Eurasian Union.
    "Ukraine is not a foreign country for us, not at all. I think Ukraine will make up its mind on the Eurasian Union (accession) more specifically in the nearest future. As for the EU, the united economic space and Ukraine, I would suggest that the media avoids heating the situation," Lukashenko said.
    "We would just like Ukraine not to sign an agreement with other organisations that would close the door to the united economic space and the future Economic Union that we are talking about," he added.
    Russia has also long urged Ukraine to become a full member of the bloc which also includes two other former Soviet republics, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
    But Ukraine, which hopes to sign landmark agreements on free trade and political association with the EU this year, refused to join and has instead sought a deal that would be compatible with its EU agreements.
    Ukraine's President Yanukovich insisted that his country is "following the path of European integration".
    "Ukraine is following the path of the European integration. What does it mean to us? To us that means (following) European standards in everything," Yanukovich said.
    Ukraine's trade relations with customs union members have been rocky in the last few years with Russia temporarily banning imports of certain Ukrainian goods such as cheese and Ukraine, in turn, restricting shipments of some goods from Russia and Belarus.
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