16:09 22.10.2012

Putin, Yanukovych to discuss Ukrainian relations with Customs Union, gas issue

2 min read
Putin, Yanukovych to discuss Ukrainian relations with Customs Union, gas issue

Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized the timeliness of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's visit to Russia and promised to discuss the gas issue and cooperation with the Customs Union during their negotiations.

"I think that your trip is timely. I'm very pleased that you support regular contacts not only at the highest level - the presidential level - but also at the governmental, ministerial, at the level of our companies that work with each other," Putin said before the launch of talks with Yanukovych in a restricted format on Monday.

Russian-Ukrainian cooperation is developing successfully in the political sphere, in international relations, and in the economy - trade turnover is on the rise, and economic ties are continuing to diversify, Putin said.

Among other matters, Yanukovych expressed the desire to talk about "relations in the Customs Union" with Putin. In his opinion, deepened cooperation with the Customs Union would work in favor of the two countries' commodity producers.

In response, Putin said that the decision of whether or not to join the Customs Union is the sovereign choice of the state. However, he recalled the profound degree of cooperation between Russia and Ukraine, as well as commodity markets, which unite the two countries.

"This is so important for the future of both the Russian and the Ukrainian economy that it is natural to create special conditions for developing cooperative relations," Putin said.

Yanukovych suggested that the two presidents also discuss the gas issue, to which Putin agreed.

At the beginning of the meeting, Yanukovych wished Putin a happy late birthday. "I want to say that after 60 years nothing has changed - you're even more handsome."

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