Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko discussed trade and economic interaction between their countries and the settlement process in Ukraine during a phone call on Thursday, the Belarusian presidential press service said.

"Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in the evening on March 23," it said.

"The heads of state discussed various issues on the agenda of Belarusian-Ukrainian relations," the press service said.

The presidents discussed ways to further develop trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and broaden contacts between their regions, it said.

"The sides also discussed interaction on international platforms and also the peace process in Ukraine and the assistance being provided by the Belarusian side to secure the soonest possible settlement of the conflict," it said.

The Ukrainian presidential press service said also that Lukashenko and Poroshenko had reiterated the importance of fully implementing the agreements reached at a session of the two countries' intergovernmental joint commission for trade and economic cooperation at the end of last year.

Lukashenko also welcomed the appointment of Ukraine's ambassador to Belarus, it said.