Ukrainian Ambassador to Russia Volodymyr Yelchenko has said that finding a mutually acceptable model of cooperation between Ukraine and the Customs Union is a priority for the Ukrainian authorities.

"First of all I would like to stress the importance of cooperation between Ukraine and the Customs Union as the main foreign partner of Ukraine, the trade with which in 2012 exceeded $60 billion," the diplomat said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

In his words, Ukraine does its best to find the format of cooperation with the Customs Union and believes that such dialogue should take into account the interests, including the economic ones of all the parties, and should not conflict with international obligations and national laws.

"I would also like to note that the format of cooperation between Ukraine and the extent of cooperation with the Customs Union is rather ambiguous and debatable. However, the time for this decision is running out every day," Yelchenko said.

The diplomat also spoke against the excessive politicization of Ukraine's cooperation with the Customs Union, and also noted the need to strengthen the pragmatic economic component of this interaction.