Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has announced the country's willingness to upgrade its road network leading to Hungary and increase cargo transshipments at the Black Sea ports in Ukraine, the information and communication department of the cabinet' secretariat reported.

"It is important for us to guarantee reliable transport flows between Ukraine and Europe. The Hungarian direction is important and beneficial, since this is the shortest way to the center of Europe," the Ukrainian premier said in an interview with the Hungarian media.

He noted that over the last two years Ukraine upgraded the Yahodyn-Kyiv and Kyiv-Lviv motorways, and now it was the turn of those going to Hungary. "I spoke on this issue with the prime minister of Hungary, and said that if Hungary was ready to give us loans, than we are prepared to quickly implement these projects," Azarov said.

In his words, "the funds may be partially provided by the European Union or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development." "In any case, I believe that this issue will be resolved," the Ukrainian prime minister said.

He also stressed that the potential of the Black Sea ports in Ukraine was much higher than their current load. "The volumes of cargo transshipment in domestic ports of the Black Sea are 150 million tons a year. And they can be significantly increased when we provide proper logistics," Azarov said.