Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that the negotiations with Israel on the free trade area (FTA) were completed and soon the respective agreement will be signed.

"In 2017, we had intensive talks on the free trade area with Israel, with which we are trading today for almost $800 million. At present, the talks have been finished. Today a joint statement of the governments and ministries of the two countries that the free trade area agreement between Israel and Ukraine reaches the final stage will be announced," the prime minister said, opening a government meeting on Wednesday.

"Last year we held 11 rounds of talks, very complicated talks," he said.

Groysman said that the document will be signed in the near future.

"Maybe, the prime minister of Israel would find an opportunity of visiting Ukraine to sign the agreement. We are arranging these issues with our international colleagues," he said.

As reported, negotiations on the FTA with Israel were intensified in 2015. After the agreement is signed, the document is to be ratified by the parliaments of Ukraine and Israel.

According to the website of the government, the entry into force of the document will allow exporting to Israel a wide range of agricultural products and food, as well as medicines, cosmetics, chemical and light industry products, construction materials, electronics and other goods.

"In three years, duties will be lifted for spices, seeds, flour, ketchup, canned goods, confectionery, clothing, furniture and glass," the government said on its website.

The agreement regulates trade disputes, sets customs procedures, rules of origin of goods, describes sanitary and safeguard measures, including anti-dumping actions, according to the report.

The volume of exports of Ukrainian goods and services to Israel in 2017 increased by 19% to $781 million