German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle says he has noted the efforts Ukraine is making in order to settle the issue of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for the sake of the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU.

"We are yet to tackle some problems, and the Tymoshenko case is one of them. I've noticed today serious attempts and serious efforts [from the Ukrainian side] aimed at the settlement of this issue and overcoming this problem," he said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Thursday following a meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Westerwelle added that since his previous visit to Ukraine in summer 2012 he has noticed significant progress in the fulfillment of the conditions by Ukraine necessary for the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU.

"I welcome the progress Ukraine has demonstrated since my last visit in summer last year. My conversation with the president was effective and intensive, and one could feel the willingness of both sides to do the utmost for the elimination of the last obstacle on the way towards success at the summit in Vilnius," the German minister said.